Coal Mine Canyon
by Bovine Beauty
Summary: HOTR. When a suspicious singer arrives in Chugwater, Grace is suddenly captured by mysterious thieves and taken to the secret hideout of a bandit queen down in Texas. Can her friends save her in time or will Grace have to save herself?
1. A New Spring Day

_All characters, except those not mentioned in the movie are the property of the Walt Disney Company and are used without permission. Even though I do believe that they deserve much better than what they get recently these days._

**Chapter 1: A New Spring Day**

Grace stepped out from behind the den sniffing the fresh morning air. Today was the first day of spring and the season of winter had come and gone by. Although it had been a rather dreary winter, none of it could stop the family members of the Patch of Heaven farm from feeling right at home. They learned that winter wasn't all bad because of ice skating, snowball throwing, building snowmen, and celebrating a holiday called Christmas. Throughout the season, Grace had been helped by Maggie and Mrs. Calloway to recover from an old scar caused by a nightmare of her cruel owner. It had not been too complicated for Grace to admit to them that she was deeply troubled by her past, but every memory of what she went through was like a scar that refused to heal properly, just like the ones hidden beneath the hairs on her hide. And it stunned her more when she heard about the doctor telling Pearl that he discovered a couple slightly odd scars spread all over her back. She had hoped no one would ever find out about them. The dreadful memories haunted her mind throughout the month of November which caused her to refuse to step outside the farm for even a moment in fear of her cruel owner jumping out to drag her away from her family and be given a severe thrashing.

However, it had taken a lot of effort for Maggie and Mrs. Calloway to help her understand that everything was alright now that she had a family who loves and looks out for her always. It wasn't easy, but it helped her to not be defeated by sadness or doubt since it hardly touched anyone. And just as Pearl mentioned to her, it did no good to dwell on past experiences since it only kept her from being happy with doing what she loved on the farm. Not wanting the family to know about her troubled past, she told them that she had been suffering from an unknown illness that caused a number of aches in her body. She felt talking about it would be too heartbreaking for them to want to hear. And she did not want to break into hysterical crying in front of them. The only other family members besides the two cows who knew about her secret were Ollie and Audrey, but they didn't want anyone to find out about their little eavesdropping. Life was hard for her at the beginning, but all that happened before was over. There was nothing more for her to fear; for now at least.

"Feeling better Grace?" Maggie asked with a smile. For the first time in a long time, it was good to see her smiling again. No longer was Grace hiding inside in terror, instead she was feeling alive as the sun bathed down upon them.

"Good as new," Grace answered as she stared heavenly at the morning sky. She was actually feeling too delighted with watching the hummingbirds flutter over the bluebonnet field to think about why Maggie asked her that question. After a long hard winter, Grace was finally back to normal. But that didn't stop her or the other two from learning to be cautious whether they're on the farm or on the outskirts of the landscape. Any disaster was bound to happen unexpectedly and they knew better. All they had to do was keep their eyes open. "Look, the flowers have bloomed." She pointed eagerly to the daisies, sunflowers and bluebonnets swaying about and pranced over to them like a happy-go-lucky calf on a playground. Grace loved all types of flowers. With happiness all around her, she began to sing "she'll be comin' round the mountain" in the same horrid tone as always.

"There she goes singin' round that mountain again," Maggie said hesitantly.

"But at least she's happy again," Mrs. Calloway assured as she watched Grace breathe in the sweet scent of daisies. "We should be grateful to see her up on her feet again. It does no good to mope around on a beautiful day like this. Isn't that what we wanted?"

"I know, but then that means she's back to disturbing the peace again," Maggie watched as Grace marched about carrying on with her off key tune. Perhaps Mrs. C was right, it would just be sad to see Grace feeling sorry for herself all afternoon. Even if Maggie didn't appreciate her singing, she'd rather not have to deal with negative emotions today. "Now we don't have to keep reminding her to stay cool."

"Ok so what was that all about?" the two looked to see Jeb the grumpy goat standing before them frowning in suspicion. He wanted to know what the cows were hiding from everybody all this time.

"What are you talking about?" Maggie asked with her brow furrowed. She thought he would never ask again about Grace's strange behavior. "Haven't we told you enough already? She's fine now, let her be."

"I ain't ever heard of an illness that keeps you hidden from the sun or one that causes you to go berserk for no apparent reason. So what was it?"

"Oh honestly Jeb…" Mrs. Calloway said with a little irritation in her voice. This seemed like the fiftieth time or more since that question was asked and was now becoming old and pointless. "…haven't you anything better to do than ask the same old question over again; like collecting cans? What we did in there is not for you or anyone else to know about. You outta be thankful that she's feeling better."

"Thankful, I was hoping there wouldn't be another off key sequence today coming from her today," Jeb complained. He looked at Grace who was singing far off in the field of sunflowers. With her high-pitched voice, she could barely hear what they were talking about. Every time she sang, she seldom paid attention to smaller mammals on the ground or in the air and how they reacted around her. "How does anyone put up with it?"

"We don't know," Maggie answered truthfully. "It may not be pleasant for us to hear, but at least it makes her feel good about herself."

That was all she could think about what to say in putting up with Grace's tone deafness. She and Mrs. Calloway knew that they might have never been able to capture Slim if it hadn't been for Grace being immune to his hypnotic yodeling number. No matter how many times Maggie would have liked to tell Grace that she couldn't stand her singing, she decided to keep it to herself just in case Slim ever showed his face around here again. Now she understood how and why Grace learned to sing so badly.

"Well I don't know or care what else caused dear Grace to have a nervous breakdown," Audrey the chicken spoke up. "Everyone else is delighted to see her recovered from whatever it is that prevented her from moving about." Then she turned to Jeb with a sour expression. "And all family members need to respect other's privacy." Jeb could only turn tail and walked back to his barrel with cans.

"Thanks Audrey," said Maggie thankfully. "We needed that." It wasn't that they didn't love Jeb, but they only wished that he would mind his own business and try to act more mature with everyone.

"No problem," replied Audrey smiling. "Why should we waste time worrying about Grace now? I mean it's not like she's in danger of becoming kidnapped or something like that, right?"

"No, but its best that we keep our eyes open and stay alert for any unusual activity," Mrs. Calloway advised. "We never know what might happen here or out there."

"Like that cattle rustler you caught? Well if you ask me, there hasn't been a single crime in these parts for weeks."

"Now that you mentioned it, it has become rather dull without the all the fun in catching crooks and bringing them to justice," Maggie agreed thoughtfully as she gazed at the landscapes in the further distance. All seemed rather quiet. "I wonder if we'll ever have another adventure someday. I wouldn't mind that."

"Why would we need to?" asked Mrs. Calloway, before taking a bite out of hay from a trough. "Everything we have is here on this farm."

"Perhaps you're right. Still, I do wish something exciting would happen today. One that requires a good whoppin' n' head buttin'."

As the two girls were discussing about adventures, Audrey turned to her side when Ollie appeared. She stuck out her thumb (or wing) and pointed over to the back of Pearl's house. It was a signal for her and Ollie to walk behind there so that no one would hear or see what they're talking about.

"What's goin' on? Yah haven't told them have you?" Ollie asked worriedly as they were out of earshot.

"Don't worry, all is well," Audrey assured him. "I think that as long as we keep our mouths closed and don't mention anything about mothers, bad owners, old friends or anything else we've heard, then they won't know and Grace won't get upset. You know how easily sensitive she is to that." Ollie nodded in agreement. Nobody in the family blamed Grace for feeling sad about being taken away from her real mother, even if she never knew her that well enough. It was normal to be that way from time to time, just like the way Grace's story tugged at their heartstrings emotionally. Since the past could not be altered, it was important to focus on what was now. Now everyone knew what to do in case another scoundrel was to step foot on their property. Families were always there to protect and look out for each other.

"Poor Grace," Ollie murmured sadly. "I can't help but feel sorry for her. Wish there was something else we could do to help her forget."

"So do I," Audrey agreed. Then she perked up. "But whatever happens today or tomorrow, we'll stand by and do all we can to help. I don't know but I have a feeling in my feathers that something dreadful could happen at anytime now."

"What makes you think that?"

"Everything has been quiet around here, almost too quiet. Every time it's like this, the worst is bound to occur at the wrong place at the wrong time." The chicken flapped her wings in hysteria as her voice sounded unsteady. She herself was not used to being in a dangerous situation.

"Not so loud now," Ollie shushed her enough to make her stop flapping. "I get the idea, but do you want the cows to hear us?" Audrey was then silent as she realized that she came close to giving herself and Ollie away.

"Oops, I almost forgot." She blushed, and then Pearl Gesner stepped out giving the farm animals a friendly morning greeting. That meant she was preparing to feed them all the same healthy nutrients they usually ate. The two were already rumbling with hunger. But Audrey whispered in Ollie's ear to remind him. "Remember now, we mind our own business." Then they strolled over to rejoin the family.

* * *

_Meanwhile in Chugwater_

A stagecoach pulled by four brown horses rode the dusty busy streets of Chugwater town. Some passing citizens roared out as it nearly ran them over. What kind of crazed hooligan rides like that on such a busy street? Wherever it was heading couldn't be in that much of a hurry. The stagecoach pulled up to a halt in front of the entrance of Annie's Saloon. A few vexed cowpokes watched as the driver opened the door to allow whoever was inside to step out. Before the men had a chance to curse at this newcomer, they held their tongue to see a lovely, rosy-cheeked, young woman with a blue parasol in her right hand descend, then paused to catch her breath. She was a blooming gal with sea-green eyes, blue eye-shadow, long black eyelashes, crimson lips, and walnut hair wrapped up in a bun from under the fancy blue hat she wore with a curling red feather hanging out of it. A beauty mark lay beside her right cheek. She wore jaded blue earrings, a crisp silken ultramarine blouse in long puff sleeves with a steady neck collar and an elegant, grey brooch with white laces hanging out underneath it. On her hands were black velvet gloves that went down to her elbows. Her lovely ultramarine skirt was dazzled in Victorian style fabric that went down an inch below her knees and was worn over a versatile hoop underskirt that no one saw. Instead of wearing fanciful shoes, her feet were fitted in average, custom made auburn cowboy boots without the spurs. They were her right size for a woman.

She turned to the cowpokes who had been staring in awe this whole time at the sight of her beauty. "Pardon me gentlemen," she said in a voice that made their heads spin. They were in love with her already. "But would any o' you be willin' to walk in with me? I wouldn't want folks in this here town to think I'm all alone."

In a rush, the cowpokes stood at the entrance as two of them held the doors open for the mysterious woman. A few of them were pushing each other aside arguing over who should walk her in.

"Oh why don't ya'll take turns showin' me the way boys?" the woman suggested. "I'm sure there'd be room for all o' yah." her eyes twinkled as she winked.

Forgetting about arguing, they helped walk her into the saloon and hoped that she would tell them about what brings her to Chugwater. Unbeknownst to them however, no one ever noticed four masked strangers hiding in the stagecoach all this time with the driver whispering to them darkly from the seat.

"Remember the signal men. By the time she sings in there, that will be our time to rob the bank and snatch the purty blond heifer when she appears. They'll show up; I'm sure of it."

* * *

_**Author's note**_: _This story takes place after the events of Life Before Paradise and before A Nightmare in Ghost Town and A Frosty Christmas Wonderland. I thought I tell readers that in case some are confused about the timeline. Everything else will be discussed in later chapters._


	2. A Singer is hired

**Chapter 2: A Singer is hired**

"Right this way ma'am," the cowpokes lead the mysterious beautiful woman through the inside of the saloon. No other music was playing but the piano played by a pianist. Nobody cared that much for the saloon dancers because of their unattractive looks. If there were any beautiful ones with a lovely singing voice, then they'd probably change their minds. There was gambling, a game of poker and cards. A few men smoked cigars and drank liquor. Some of them stopped what they were doing when the woman passed by their table. Already, they loved how bright and elegant she was in that lovely Victorian dress outfit she wore whilst holding the blue parasol. She was more attractive than the dancers on stage. One skinny man dropped his cards and cigar on the table as his jaw dropped widely seeing her. "Have a seat here." One of the men pulled out a chair for her to sit on as a few others were tidying up the table.

"Howdy boys," she glanced over her shoulder smiling at the table of gamblers. This caused the gamblers to whistle at the sound of her voice. Immediately they rushed over to the table she sat. "One at a time boys, please." She giggled playfully. "This ain't no horse corral."

One of them cleared his throat to ask what business she had here. "Uh…so ma'am, do yah live round here or are yah just visitin' from outta state?" he sat at the table closer to her position.

"I've been travelin' many miles away from my home down in Texas," the woman replied, still smiling with her gloved hands underneath her chin. "So far I'm searchin' for a job as both singer and dancer, but there haven't been that many openings and I need the money to pay off my debts for dear ol' papa." She crossed her arms over her chest with a dismal frown across her face. "And he's growin' too old for the farm industry to be takin' care o' the rest of his dear family. Now it's up to us to take care o' everythin'; oh poor papa." She threw her arm on her forehead looking sadder than before. This woman's story was pitiful enough to bring sad faces to the cowpokes who were now feeling sorry for her. A young Texas gal was here to search for a job as both singer and dancer not only for herself but for her elderly father back home. But was Annie the type of saloon owner to give a wandering stranger a job here?

"We're sorry to hear that ma'am," one of them spoke up. "Perhaps yah might wanna ask Annie over there if she could hire yah. The saloon dancers here have been rather dull n' borin' lately with their entire untalented act." He pointed to the women on stage singing terribly. The woman was disgusted seeing it.

"I can see that," she said with her brow furrowed. Then she decided to change the subject. "Well boys, a job ain't the only option I'm here for yah know."

"What else brings yah to this town?"

The woman opened her blue purse and pulled out a folded up newspaper. "Would any o' you boys be willin' to tell me bout this here article?" She slapped the unfolded paper on the table which revealed to be the article of three familiar dairy cows gathered around a family of farm animals, smiling at the camera. "I'd so much wanna hear what happened."

"Why those are the same dairy cows that miraculously captured the cattle rustler Alameda Slim," a grey haired cowpoke placed his pointed finger directly on the article. "Now he's behind bars where he truly belongs and it's all thanks to them."

"Do you know where they live?" she asked curiously, still gazing down at the article.

"They live with a herd o' farm animals on a ranch called Patch of Heaven that's located on a hill across from this town," he answered in full detail. "I heard the three cows rode on a railway train and crashed into their own yard before the farm was auctioned off to Yancy O'Dell, or should I say Slim in disguise." The woman became surprised by this story that seemed more like a legendary tall tale than reality, yet it was slightly entertaining to hear. "Too bad you weren't there to witness them clobberin' that foe left to right. Especially with how he got that dang bell kicked in his mouth by that blond heifer."

"You mean this one?" the woman pointed to the thin heifer on the right.

"Yep, that's the one."

For a short while, the woman kept asking questions about this article as each cowpoke blinded by her beauty went on with the story of the mysterious cattle rustler who put most of those cattle ranches out of business and disguised himself as a wealthy cattle baron. She also got them to tell her that the cows were the only heifers in the west ever known to have stopped an outlaw in his tracks. However, she seemed more interested in the fact that the blond heifer was the only one of the trio to somehow not be affected by the rustler's yodeling number. How the cowpokes got this information was mainly due to gossip from folks who were at the auction at that time. Nobody even knew why or how that was possible, it just was. She even asked them if it was possible for the three to try and put a stop to a bank robbery, but they were uncertain because there had not been a crime in this town for quite some time. As she stared down at the paper, the cowpokes barely noticed her admiring the dazzling blond hide. Although the paper was inked in black and white, it wasn't hard for her to tell which color each animal was coated in. A greedy smile formed on her crimson lips.

"Oh forgive me ma'am but I don't believe you've told us your name yet. We'd like to know if you don't mind."

The woman's lips formed back into a sweet, friendly grin as she murmured, "I won't give my full name in public yet, but you boys can call me Shirley."

"Well Miss Shirley, it's a real pleasure havin' you here with us, right boys," the cowpokes nodded in agreement.

"RRRRRRR…," Shirley thought she felt something growl at her heels and looked down to see a basset hound baring his teeth at her position for some reason. Rather than being afraid or surprised, she gave the creature a frown of disgust.

"Settle down there Rusty," the cowpokes at the table looked to see Sheriff Sam Brown approach them with a concerned look. "Don't wanna scare away the customers now."

"Howdy there Sheriff, is somethin' wrong?"

"Just had a few complaints from folks who claimed that an outta control stagecoach nearly drove them off the highway," he answered seriously. "Have any o' you boys seen that happen?"

"I'm sorry sheriff," Shirley spoke up to Sam. "But I was the one ridin' inside the stagecoach out there. I'm afraid I talked my rider into drivin' me here quickly to find a job. I didn't realize it would cause so much trouble."

"Alright ma'am I believe yah," the sheriff still looked serious. "It's my job as a sheriff to ask questions and keep this town safe. Just tell your driver to ride responsibly next time or else folks might seriously get hurt. This ain't no corral yah know." He turned to head back out the front door. "Come along Rusty!" he patted his thigh repeatedly to get Rusty over to him. The dog was still growling at her heels.

Irritated, Shirley kicked Rusty firmly in the face to drive him away. The dog let out a small whimper and ran out the door. Then she realized that the cowpokes were looking at her all surprised. She wasn't acting like that before.

"Sorry boys," Shirley used her friendliness to sound polite as possible. "I guess I should've mentioned that I'm not at all fond of canines. They make me nervous."

"That's alright Miss Shirley," one of them assured her. "There ain't no shame in bein' afraid of one thing or two." He snapped his fingers at Annie who was polishing jugs on a high shelf. "Hey Annie, got any openings for a singer?"

"What for?" asked Annie, still polishing.

"Because this little lady could sure use the job to help her dear ol' papa," He held Shirley's hand up high for Annie to see who he was talking about.

"I see, and has she ever performed in front of a live audience before?"

"No ma'am, but I've been practicin' my voice lessons every day since I was young," Shirley admitted. "Plus I've been travelin' miles from town to town, but had no success of finding a job. Are there any openings here? I mean wouldn't you rather a singer who'd attract a larger audience than what is now?"

Annie stopped polishing to take one look at the dancers on stage and noticed that it was putting a few men to sleep. With them around, business in this saloon was not going too well and she could use someone with greater talent. She turned her direct attention to Shirley who was waiting for an answer.

"Alright missy, I'll give you the job on one condition…"

"I'm listenin'."

"…if you can out-dance and out-sing those dull little dancer wannabes then you're hired."

Jumping up from her chair, Shirley handed her parasol to one cowpoke and thanked Annie a moment before jumping on stage to push the other dancers into the back of the curtain. The saloon owner clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.

Everyone can I have your attention please. Miss Shirley here is gonna sing a song for all yah, so I suggest ya'll be quiet and listen!" she announced roughly, ignoring a few coughs and gags coming from the smokers. "And put out those blasted cigarettes why dontcha!" She retorted, giving the smokers a warning glare that caused them to immediately mesh the cigarettes in the ashtray right away.

Shirley waited for the audience to quiet down. The piano player began strumming the keys as Shirley began to sing. Everyone's eyes widened as her voice was as pure and clear as the starlit sky. The song she sang was about life in the old west down in Texas and the journey back home. Every gambler and cowpoke was enthusiastically enchanted and blinded by her beauty. They loved every minute of her singing and talented dancing skills. As the music played at a fast rhythm, she held her skirt high and twirled about like a real saloon dancer while keeping her voice to the beat. A few whistles and hollering of excitement filled the audience as she went on. Of course, this had also caused a few men to come closer to the stage and reach his hand out to her. When that happened, Shirley placed her foot on his head and pushed him back toward the audience to keep them from pulling her off stage.

"Look out Texas, here I come!" Shirley finished up the last words to the song. The audience began applauding and throwing a few gold coins into her hat on the center stage. She bowed in appreciation as they hollered for an encore.


	3. A bank robbery and kidnapping scheme

**Chapter 3: A bank robbery and kidnapping scheme**

"I'm tellin' yah Buck, there's somethin' suspicious bout that gal hidin' behind those so-called sweet eyes of hers," Rusty grumbled as he and Buck had been playing a small game of checkers on the front porch of the sheriff's office. His face still hurt a bit from that kick he had been given and rubbing the spot did nothing to make it go away. Buck was listening but rarely. He had been focusing most of his attention on where to make his move. "I even saw that ravenous smile plastered on her face when I entered the saloon."

"Where do I make my move?"

"Were you listenin' to a word I said?"

"What…what I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"I was sayin' there's a strange gal in the saloon hidin' somethin' not so purty; the same one responsible for ridin' in that stagecoach. I've seen how she held up that old paper article and stared greedily at the photo. Surely anyone can tell that a look like that means trouble."

"Whoa hold up partner," Buck interrupted. "A lady…trouble? Whoever heard of a lady causing trouble? What else did you see in her?"

"My keen sense of smell is never wrong," replied Rusty sharply. "I don't care how beautiful she is. She's up to somethin'; I can sense it has somethin' to do with those dairy cows. If she gets closer to them, they could be in danger."

"Did ya'll hear the news? The saloon has hired a new singer more talented than all the others. Let's go n' see." The dog and horse had their conversation halted by the gossip coming from townsfolk passing by. "I heard she's as radiant as a Texas wildflower." Soon nearly every citizen was walking toward Annie's Saloon as if they were on their way to a county fair.

"See, she already has those men under her spell."

"Alright, if it makes you feel any better, we'll go and take a sneak peek at this suspicious lady everyone's going to see; but just a quick look." Turning from their game, the two followed through the crowd seeing each citizen push one another aside. "Jeez, it's like they're all going to a big fair." He said surprisingly. In his mind, Buck had often wished that there would be another outlaw case for him to solve because of the dullness with it being too quiet in Chugwater town lately. He could sure go for a good kicking and head banging to give the bad guys a lesson or two. With him being lost in thought along with the noisiness of the crowd, nobody noticed or even bothered to pay attention to the fact that four strangers and the stagecoach rider had been walking the opposite side of the street and on their way to the bank with a few guns and lassos.

* * *

_Meanwhile on Patch of Heaven_

"Is it me or do I hear the crowds growin' wild all the way from town?" Maggie mumbled between mouthfuls of eating hay.

"Hmm," Mrs. Calloway listened closely to where the noise level was coming from and realized that Maggie was probably right. "No, I hear it too. But unless there's a fair, it doesn't get this noisy, even on a normal busy day." Of course, she didn't care all that much about the noise level and thought it was not that big a deal.

"Well then if it's not a fair, why don't we go over there and check it out," Maggie insisted, feeling that this might be a small case for them to solve. "It sounds fishy."

"And have Pearl find us missing from our spot again?" Mrs. Calloway protested. "She'd be sure to see us on the road unsupervised." Pearl was inside the house going through a payment.

"Come on Mrs. C. Whatever happened to your sense of adventure?" Maggie teased. "It'll just be a short visit. And if it ain't that serious, we'll come crawling back here and pretend that nothing happened."

Mrs. Calloway stood at the trough thoughtful for a moment. "Hmm, I don't believe it is anything for us to worry about." Then she perked her up. "Then again, a noise like this does sound rather strange today, considering it was quiet this morning."

"So are you coming?" Maggie raised an eyebrow at her. She had already told a few family members where they were going and was standing near the gates.

"Very well, but I don't suppose Grace will want to come along with us."

"With her fear of her bad owner returning to take her away, she might decline. Maybe we should leave her here where it's safe," Maggie shrugged her shoulders, unsure.

Just before the two were heading out the gates, Grace spotted them from the sunflower field and zoomed over quickly before they reached a block away from the farm.

"Wait for me, where are you going?" she called out as she ran. The two stiffened from hearing her voice. They thought she'd never noticed them walking out on her. "Please wherever you two are heading, I wanna go too."

The two were rather surprised to hear her desiring to tag along instead of declining. She didn't sound afraid of anything. It might be unkind to not let her join them after all the other adventures they went through together. She wasn't a calf anymore, so why not?

"Alright come along," Mrs. Calloway gave in. "Remember to stay together." Somehow she had a feeling that a new adventure for them awaited.

* * *

_Inside the bank_

"Everyone freeze!" Five men barged through the bank entrance dressed in dark clothing with their faces covered, and drawled out revolvers from their jackets to point them at a group of citizens. "I want each n' every one o' yah to put the money and everything else in your pocket on this counter. Do as we say and nobody gets hurt!"

The citizens were surprised and stunned by the appearance of criminals suddenly upon them like wild animals, but did as they were forced to do. "Hurry it up now, put it right here!" One woman shivered as she unlocked her pearl necklace, removed her ring, earrings, and placed them along with the money on the counter. Everyone was afraid of what the bandits would do if one of them tried to be a hero and put them all in further jeopardy; all because they were unarmed. Four of the thieves took out a bag and scooped the money and valuables from the counter to drop in each bag.

"Is that all?" some citizens had reached into their pockets to show the thieves that they were finally penniless. "Good, that settles it."

"Hey boss, ain't that the same purty blond heifer from the paper approachin' this way?" the thief peeked out from behind the glass window to view Grace skipping along the road far ahead from where Maggie and Mrs. Calloway were walking. "She looks familiar."

"Let me see!" the leader rushed over to the window to make sure his companion was not being mistaken. Chuckling, a victorious smile crossed behind the scarf covering his mouth. "Yes, she's the one alright; just as Miss Stoneheart described her. Remember to lead her into the back of the buildings where no one will see us. And when she's closer, you know what to do with her." He turned to the other thieves still pointing their guns directly at the group of frightened people. "One of you will have to distract the other two so that they don't get in the way. Otherwise that'll ruin our plans."

"Whatever you scoundrels are up to, you ain't ever gonna get it," a round man spoke up trying to talk bravely. "Those heifers could probably whoop yah from head to toe if they spotted yah!" There was still a tinge of fear in him as the leader chuckled darkly and pointed the revolver at his forehead.

"One more word outta that mouth o' yours and you'll be tastin' bullets from my gun!" he threatened. The citizens were too petrified to react or speak up any longer. "You, go out back and lock the door." One bandit nodded and held two money bags as he ran out and locked the door behind him. "See ya'll later folks!" With the last money bags in hand, the thieves sneaked backward out the front entrance and locked the doors behind them so they would not have anyone yelling out THIEF or ROBBERY in public.

* * *

_Outside_

"Hey, there's something moving behind the bank over there," Maggie pointed out to a suspicious masked fellow holding money bags in his arms. Once he saw the girls, he jumped and ran for his life.

"Girls, I smell a rattler in our town," Mrs. Calloway said in a warning tone.

"A rattler, where?" Grace, who was not paying that much attention, looked down anxiously at her feet to see if anything was slithering anywhere.

"Silly Grace, I was referring to the stranger behind the building," Mrs. Calloway corrected. "And he's getting away, after him!"

Immediately the girls rushed hurriedly hoping to catch whom they suspected was a crook robbing the bank. By the time Maggie and Mrs. Calloway were behind the bank, Grace was the only one who thought she noticed another thief make his getaway behind the barber shop the moment when the knocking over a barrel caught her attention. Skidding to a halt, she was about to call her friends out but realized they were too far off in the distance to even hear her. Taking a deep breath, she decided the best thing to do was try and catch this one while her friends were after the other suspect. It was worth a try.

"I'll catch that crook and make them proud," she whispered to herself as she approached the barber shop. "Then we'll have two crooks under our hooves." Peeking in the dark alley, she saw a dark shadow sink behind the building before she could make out who it was. "Aha, I gotcha!" she snuck cautiously under the shadow of the building so that the crook wouldn't become aware of any witnesses following him. Then again, he couldn't possibly know the fact that this bovine once took on a cattle rustler single handedly. Who would be afraid of a bovine witness?

However, Grace was unaware that the crook wanted her to follow him until she was out of sight from other witnesses. It was a trap waiting for her. When Grace was halfway behind the building, a lasso wrapped tightly around her neck before a hand clamped over her mouth and she found herself forced to lie sideways on the ground. The next thing that happened was a dark stranger crouching beside her body with a silver revolver being pointed deep into the side of her head. Soon three new dark figures were upon her holding hemp lassos in their grip.

The man who kept his revolver on her leaned his head down and looked at Grace straight in the eyes. "Don't move…or try anything stupid," he whispered. "If yah do, I'll blow up your purty little face with a pull of this here trigger. I mean it." He made a small click with the revolver as a warning.

Grace gulped as she felt a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. Although she couldn't quite make out who this stranger was, it was hard for her to believe that she had fallen into a trap set up by the crook she followed. Breathing heavily, she wished that Maggie and Mrs. Calloway were here to stop these crooks. But then she remembered that they might still be trying to catch that other crook. Oh no, what if they were heading into another trap?

The leader slapped his other hand on the heifer's rib and lifted up a few hairs. "My, how you've grown. Still haven't healed from those scars?"

Grace widened her eyes in shock. How did he know about her hidden scars? Were these thieves old enemies she knew long ago? Grace hoped they wouldn't be because she had enough trouble recovering from old wounds of her troubled past and would rather not have anything from it find her here. But that one fear was already coming true at this moment.

Moving her head a bit, the leader saw this and pressed his revolver harder into her. "What did I tell yah?" he whispered hoarsely. "I said don't move or I'll pull this trigger on yah."

Grace froze and felt as if she were in danger of having her body crushed by an enormous rock. It would have been hard for anyone to stay calm in this situation where someone is threatening you with a dangerous weapon, especially her. Now Grace was too petrified to fight back unless she wanted to risk having her family members find her dead in the back of the alleyway.

With a click of the revolver, the leader whispered to her. "Now the first thing we're gonna do is tie yah up so yah don't try to escape, then we carry yah back to the 12:30 train to Texas that leaves in fifteen minutes. Miss Stoneheart will be pleased to meet yah when she arrives back from this here town."

Now that it was settled, Grace could feel her legs being tied together tightly by the thieves as the leader kept his revolver steady on her. She made no movement whatsoever, even when the ropes were being tightened for better precaution so that she wouldn't dare to budge or escape easily out of them. Her ankles hurt terribly from the tight grip.

"You, grab the empty coffee bean bag over there so we can use it to cover her. That way in case if any folks notice we're carrying somethin' aboard. They'll just think we're salesmen on business." One thief rushed quickly to swipe the enormous coffee bag behind one building next to the barber shop and brought it over to help his companions hoist Grace into it as fast as possible. "Wait…," the leader halted his men from tying up the cord at the top of the bag. "…ain't we forgettin' one last thing boys?"

"Oh yes, almost forgot," one of the thieves pulled out a long black handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around Grace's eyes so that she wouldn't be able to see where they were taking her. And if she thought of escaping, she would have no clue where to make her move. Grace saw nothing but blackness and was overwhelmed with panic.


	4. High Speed Chase

**Chapter 4: High Speed Chase**

Grace wanted to cry out for help but was smart enough to remember the threat of having that gun blow through her head if she tried anything stupid. Plus who would even notice her trapped in a coffee bag? Her cries inside would prevent anyone from hearing where it came from. She could feel her bell being swiped from her neck and thrown aside. The top of the coffee bag closed up a moment before she was hoisted upward and being moved over to wherever the train station was located. The air inside the bag was dank and filled with the scent of coffee beans from ages ago. The odor caused her to gag and cough hesitantly.

"Hey shut up!" she could hear the leader shout and punch the bag roughly to her left shoulder blade. "Someone might hear yah in there."

That's exactly what I want! Grace thought angrily, easing her shoulder. Her thoughts and feelings were still consumed with fear as she struggled to overcome them. She could feel her body rocking as she was being carried away from the buildings and over to a stock car that was located in the back of the train.

"Hmm, Carl should be back by now from distractin' those other heifers," one of them muttered. "He knows we have no interest in them. The only thing we came here for is the money and this one." Grace already knew he was referring to her still trapped inside the coffee bag. Her nose tickled before letting out a sneeze. It was becoming breathless in this airless sack.

"Settle down in there missy," the leader punched the bag once more. "We'll let you breath when we climb aboard the train. We're almost there, so be still."

Outside Grace could hear some sort of door slide open furiously before she felt the robbers throw her trapped body inside and land over a few soft items that she guessed were either more coffee bean bags or a pile of straw. Why were these men capturing her and taking her to a place called Texas? Were they planning on turning her into a working animal or take her further away where she will be killed? And who was this Miss Stoneheart person they were talking about?

"Ah here comes Carl," she heard someone running wildly over to her location. "Alright into the cart, all o' yah! I hear the whistle blowin'." Grace heard the whistle blow which signaled that the train was getting ready to leave. "Release the bag and move the opening down to her neck so she can breathe." One robber rushed to her side to undo the cord and slid it around her neck only to tie it up again. With her head free, Grace shook it hesitantly hoping to shake off the blindfold over her eyes, but to no avail. It was wrapped up tighter than she thought. The sound of mocking laughter erupted over her in the stock cart.

"Ha, look at her all tryin' to free herself boys! You can struggle and scream all yah want bovine, but it won't do yah any good. Like anyone can hear yah all the way out here. Say goodbye to your family and say hello to Texas."

With one last whistle, the train started to move at a slow pace. Grace could even feel the surface underneath her rocking. Tugging at the ropes binding her legs only made them feel tighter than ever. Now she was starting to blame herself for choosing to come along and then get herself captured by a gang leader who knows about her scars. If only she should have just stayed home. And there might be a possibility that she will never see Patch of Heaven or her friends again.

* * *

_Meanwhile in Chugwater_

"Wait, I think we lost him," Maggie skidded to a halt in an alleyway with Mrs. Calloway accidentally bumping into her. "Hey watch where you bump onto, will yah."

"Well excuse me," Mrs. Calloway replied sarcastically. "Next time don't…wait a minute." She was cut off when she turned her head around to realize that a certain somebody was missing. "Wasn't Grace here with us before we started chasing that scoundrel?"

Maggie looked around and found that Grace was no longer with them. Because they were so focused on catching that crook, the two didn't bother to stop at the moment when they started racing down the hill. "Don't tell me she wasn't with us all this time. Where could she have gone?"

"Well let's go and look for her. I'm sure she couldn't have gone far in this town."

She and Maggie started off at the street where they were surprised to see a crowd of people gathered at Annie's Saloon to listen and see the new singer that was already attracting a rather big audience.

"So this is where this entire entire racket was coming from?" Maggie asked, trying to gaze over through the crowd. "I can't see a thing."

"Never mind the crowds; we still have to find Grace." Mrs. Calloway pulled on Maggie's tail with her teeth painlessly. The noise that brought them here didn't seem to matter anymore now that Grace had turned up missing somewhere. But what concerned Mrs. Calloway now was the possibility that the mysterious thieves robbed the bank at the time when this singing in the saloon took place. It did seem odd or maybe it was a coincidence that it might have been some sort of setup for the entire town and for them as well. That's when she spotted Buck with Rusty on his back peering over the crowd. Perhaps he saw Grace pass through here.

"Excuse me, Buck."

"Oh howdy there girls, here to see the show?"

"Hardly, listen have you seen Grace pass through here?" The two waited for an answer.

"Why, is she missing or what?" Buck was surprised to hear that. Maybe this could mean another case.

"We were chasing after a suspicious crook that walked outta the bank and took off the moment he saw us. We didn't realize Grace wasn't with us until we lost track of him somewhere," Maggie tried to explain all that happened on the way down here. "Have you seen her?"

"Sorry, we came here to see the show because Rusty told me he doesn't trust the new lady they hired to sing on stage," Buck pointed his head over the crowd. "I don't know about her, but she seems pretty normal for a lady in my opinion."

"Well now this is all strange today," Maggie said suspiciously. "First a singer shows up attracting a big crowd, then a bank robber runs amuck, and now Grace suddenly turns up missing for who knows what reason."

"Why don't we split up and look for her," Buck prompted. "You girls look over that way in case she shows up, then me and Rusty will search the other side. If we find her, we'll let you know."

Without arguing, the group split up to search for more clues or whatever else might be connected to the disappearance of their friend. If Grace went off the other end to catch the crook by surprise, then she should have told them about it sooner or later. Otherwise they wouldn't have formed a search party. Although she had only been gone for fifteen minutes, it was starting to feel like a criminal case of some sorts with the bank robber suddenly showing up. Then again, there might have been more of them on the loose for all they knew about.

* * *

_In the alleyway_

"Hey look here!" Buck moved his head down to stare at a familiar cowbell lying on the ground behind the barber shop. "This looks like it came from Grace."

Rusty took a sniff at it then looked up at Buck. "It's hers alright."

"But how did it…?"

"HELP, HELP!!"

"Huh, what was that?" Buck shifted his head up in bewilderment at the cry of someone calling for help.

"HELP, HELP!!"

That was when a low rumble coming from a nearby train station caught Buck's attention. He whirled around to watch a train move at a slow pace from the start. All the stock carts appeared to be locked up tight, except one. And in that opened cart were a heavy coffee bag and a cows head sticking out all blindfolded. It was Grace!

"HELP, HELP!!" she hollered out, still blindfolded. A masked stranger moved over to her side and shoved a big potato in her mouth that was too stale to chew or swallow. This cut off her screams.

"What the…HEY, HEY STOP THAT TRAIN!!" Buck pressed his hooves forward hoping to catch up to that open cart where he had already recognized one of the girls trapped inside a bag. Grace was being kidnapped by an outlaw; maybe more of them. Now he had to stop and save her before the train picked up full speed.

"BUCK, WHERE'RE GOIN'?" Rusty shouted out to him. "YOU'LL NEVER CATCH UP WITH THAT THERE TRAIN!!" But Buck kept going. Knowing that his legs weren't powerful enough to catch up on him, Rusty had no other choice but to head back to Chugwater, find the girls and tell them the terrible news.

"WAIT STOP!!" Buck hollered out as he jumped over a few cactuses, rocks, and leaped off high ledges which had given him more energy. His hooves plowed the ground as he neared the opened stock cart. He could see Grace with a big potato stuck in her mouth. The only cries that came out were mumbles. "HANG IN THERE GIRL, I'LL GET YOU OUT!"

"Ugh!" Grace tried to call out Buck's name, but the potato blocked her call. "EL EE!!" Her words were "help me." Now she was struggling to spit out the potato before she accidentally choked on it. Even if she couldn't see where Buck was, she reckoned that he saw her and was trying to rescue her. Her only chance was to keep calling out for help. With as much pressure, Grace used the tip of her tongue to push out the round potato like a monkey wrench trapped in a machine. "HELP, HELP!"

"HANG ON!" Grace thought she heard something clutch the opening of the cart and crawl inside as quickly as possible. Could Buck have already climbed aboard? When this happened the train began to pick up speed. "HANG ON; I'LL GET YOU OUTTA THAT BAG!" The sound of his hooves clattered as they approached her.

"Hey, what's a horse thief doin' in here?"

"I don't know, but somebody better get'im away from the captive!"

What Grace didn't see was that the bandits were coming in on Buck hoping to push him off the train. He had given them a couple of knocks on the head, slapped their faces with his tail, and kicked them against the wall of the stock cart. Then he started to finish the job with a few karate kicks, punches, and head bobbing. This went on for a couple of minutes until the bandits were completely dazed. Buck believed it was over and turned back to help Grace out of the bag. But before he could do so, something tugged at his tail and Buck turned to see the leader with a sly grin on his face hit the horse with a bag of black pepper.

"AH…ACHOO!" Buck sneezed hysterically. Another bandit? He didn't expect to have missed this one while still fighting the others. "ACHOO!" The force of that sneeze caused Buck to fall backward close to the opening. He was about to let out another sneeze until the leader charged him in the chest with all his might as the horse went flying out the opening.

The leader watched as Buck fell over the edge off the train tracks and rolled down a hill. He reckoned that it was probably not enough to kill him or cause broken bones in his body, but just to give a few slight wounds to last a couple weeks or so.

When Grace heard what happened, she pushed herself off one side and tried to drag over to where she thought the opening might have been located. Since it was too risky to throw herself overboard (especially with the blindfold), she attempted to holler out something to Buck wherever he landed.

"BUCK, LOOK OUT FOR MY FAMILY!!" was all she could say or think of a moment before the leader knocked her unconscious with his back of his revolver and threw her body back into the same corner. Neither he nor his gang would hear her screaming for another hour. For now, escape was out of the question; especially when one is to be taken further out of state and into another state where no one like her has ever visited. What Grace didn't realize was that her fate was in the hands of her old enemies from her past. She wouldn't find out until she regained consciousness. This kidnapping crisis was beyond her control of the train's next destination.

"THIS TIME STAY WHERE YAH ARE!" The leader growled at the unconscious Grace slumped over the soft bags of coffee beans and piles of hay. "AND KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!" With one last glance outside, he gave a mock salute to Buck who was now miles away from where he landed. "LOOK OUT TEXAS, HERE WE COME!!" He slid the door shut.

Buck recovered quickly from the hard landing and watched in horror to discover that the train was beyond his reach. Even if he followed it, he'd never be able to catch up on it. He just wasn't fast enough for its high speed chase.

"NOOOO!!" Buck kicked a dirt cloud in defeat. He almost couldn't believe he had failed. He failed to save Grace, the damsel in distress from a gang of thieves whose motives were unknown. How was he going to explain to the Patch of Heaven gang that Grace was kidnapped and in danger of being taken to the outskirts of Texas?

"Wait a minute," Buck murmured thoughtfully as he gathered information in his memory banks. "Rusty tried to tell me that he didn't trust Miss Shirley one bit. He could be right. All the trouble started while she sang in the saloon. Perhaps she might have some part in this villainous scheme; we'll see." He sat up and hurried back to Chugwater town as fast as his legs could carry him.


	5. Old Enemies

**Chapter 5: Old Enemies**

When Grace came to again, the first thing she became aware of was the dank scent of coffee filling the area around her. She tried desperately to remember what happened to her, the ache of her head got in the way of her memory. But she wouldn't let that stop her from trying to think clearly, despite the numbness growing in her body. She remembered going off by herself to catch another crook in the back of the alleyway, only to find out that she had fallen into a trap. Then came the memory of a gang leader pointing his revolver at her while his henchmen tied her up and placed her body inside a huge coffee bag so that folks would just think of them as business men. Once inside the train, Grace started calling for help to come along. She kept shouting until a big potato was shoved inside her mouth, but she managed to spit it out. Buck was believed to have climbed in the cart to try and stop the bad guys from harming her. He had somehow missed the leader and was pushed overboard from having pepper thrown in his face. When Grace sensed that he had lost, she called out his name and told him to watch over her family. That was before she was knocked out cold by the back of the gun. Her memories had then gone blank. She couldn't believe that she fell for that nasty trick back in town. This experience was all so horrifying that she had hoped it would be nothing more than a bad dream from all those bad memories inside her head.

But when she tried to open her eyes, she knew it wasn't a dream; even with the sound of the train moving on. One of the bandits wrapped a dark handkerchief over her eyes so that she'd have no idea where she was or how to get out. Not being able to see made her feel more anxious and scared. How would she try to get herself out of here if she can't see? These bandits might as well be planning to sell her for a high profit or take her someplace where no one would see them kill her. Grace shook her head frantically to push the dark clouds that enveloped her vision, but it was no use. It wouldn't slip off.

"Oh well, at least I'm still alive," she whispered to herself. She flinched and moaned in pain from the ropes that tied her legs. She hadn't forgotten about those. The back of her head felt a little heavy from the blow that knocked her out for at least a couple of hours. Her family back at home might already be worried sick about her. The pain mattered little to her. Grace knew that she was already being taken to Texas, but not exactly where. What was to become of her was still unknown and she didn't want to find out either. "How do I get outta here?" With the limited movement allowed her, she could only slide her body across the coffee bags she laid top of.

Grace began tugging frantically at the ropes, hoping to untangle the knots. It was still no use doing so. Struggling only made them tighter and painful. With all that struggling, Grace thought she felt a tiny, oozing wetness seep through her left front ankle. Did she cause herself to bleed all of a sudden?

"Why is this happening to me?" Grace was feeling too tired and scared to think clearly about how this could have happened. She struggled to think of these thieves who might have a reason to harm her, but couldn't. The leader had stroked her hide and talked as if he knew she had those scars throughout her life. Could he…no it couldn't be. She refused to believe it. "No, it isn't him. I won't believe it!" She refused to believe that this gang leader was her old nemesis; Scar Face Sam. If it was them, then how did they find her here anyway? It was simply maddening; reminding her of the time she had reacted when she found out that her cruel owner was once a member of the Yeller gang. Her cries woke up the thieves resting in the other corner. Her heart skipped a beat to hear them yawning from somewhere.

"Awake already?" she heard him mumble. "And making so much noise?" The tone in his voice sounded rather annoyed in which Grace felt her pulses quicken. "Won't someone please do somethin' to shut her up?"

"I'll take care o' her," someone volunteered as the sound of bags crunched like rocks from the inside.

Not liking the sound of what he had said, Grace felt a slight sting in her body when she felt him approaching her position. In her mind, she had been pleading them not to hurt her in any way and that she'll promise to be quiet; just don't hurt her. She didn't know what happened next because it happened so quickly. It seemed that the man grabbed a handful of the coffee bag below her neck, pulled her savagely up off the cushions and close to his face as he prepared to give her a final warning.

"If any o' us hear one more yelp outta that purty little mouth o' yours…" he warned viciously, forcing her mouth open with his strong thumb to expose her pink tongue. The frightened heifer's heart beat loudly in her eardrums as he continued with a hard edge in his voice. "…WE'LL RIP OUT YOUR TONGUE AND FEED IT TO THE VULTURES ALONG WITH THE REST O' YOUR BODY, ONE BY ONE!!" This sent shivers down her spine. "And we don't want that…DO WE?" He pulled harder on the coffee bag in which Grace started gasping breathlessly. She turned her head away from him. She imagined him balling his fist holding a bowie knife in front of her face.

"It looks like she understands now. Put her back."

She felt herself being thrown back on the coffee bean bags in full force. Now she was glad to be blindfolded. She'd rather not want to look into the faces of her abductors in case they did turn out to be old enemies. If her guesses were right, this blindfold would not come off until the bandits moved her inside their hiding place. Grace sensed that this was going to be a long ride back to Texas; meaning many long hours of mental torture from her abductors. The thoughts of fear prevented her from desiring to sing or talk to herself without the bandits knowing. They had good hearing probably. So it looks like the only thing to keep her from becoming killed was silence.

"Put the potato back in her mouth in case she tries to scream." There were the dreadful voices coming at her again.

_No please, not that! Not that thing again!_ _I promise I'll be quiet._ Grace thought, panicking. Hearing the heavy plodding footsteps approaching, Grace felt a firm grip under her chin and her mouth being forced open. As much as she resisted, the man won by shoving a different type of potato back in her mouth. This time, Grace could barely spit it out because of its size and how it stuck in her teeth. Having no strength to fight back, Grace sank her head down on the previous bean bags like a falling tree. Her eyes began to moisten under the cloth bandage that kept her from seeing where she was. At this time she should have been home safe with her friends, dancing merrily, and helping Pearl out with the apple trees, not being trapped on a train all tied up, helpless, scared and unaware of what is to become of her once this train ride is over. She shouldn't have to go through this nightmarish situation of being held captive to reach an unknown destination: the slaughter house, a shifty mine, the meat market. If only she had an idea on how to get herself out of this. But even if she did, then where would she go, how would she untie herself and get back home if she didn't know the way. _I don't wanna be here, I wanna go home! Come on girl, snap out of it!_ If she would, Grace might have slapped her own face to pull herself together if it weren't for this dang coffee bag trapping her body. _It's not the end of the world yet. There has to be a way out. But it looks like I have no choice but to wait for the right moment to come. That could take forever, but it might be my only chance of escape._

"Are you sure this here heifer is the right one we've been searchin' for all this time?" Grace listened as one of them ran his fingers through her blond hair and bent her head backwards to expose her throat. In the darkness, she sensed the other hand nearing her neck; to strangle her? Cut her throat? Or maybe remove the cord around the bag? What a silly thing to think of. She felt a strong pinch on her throat. "Hmm, a long neck, the same blond coat, sure reminds us o' her, but do we know?"

"If it's not her, then how would yah explain the scars on her back?"

"These might have been caused by a wild critter of some sort."

"But have any o' you ever seen cuts on an animal or human heal after a year? You know what I mean don't yah? The ones made from the crack of a whip? Remember, animal marks are lined up together while whip marks are scattered in different directions."

"Good point. If she has that many scars, then it must be her. Of course, that may also explain her sudden reaction to our threats the moment we snatched her back in town." The voice boasted as Grace sensed his face was close to hers. "All grown up." he poked her firmly in the midsection of the throat with his finger "…but still."(Poke) "…the same frightened… (poke, poke)…CALF!"

Grace cringed from his strong touch acting as if he were poking her with a sharp object. The fear inside of her was suddenly being replaced with anger. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this angry with someone for causing her to endure pain during her time as a young calf. This man's words were already vaguely familiar to Grace, meaning that he and the gang recognized her from long ago. She hated the Yeller gang, their dog, and her cruel owner with all her heart and could never forgive them for what they did to her. They were the ones responsible for her aches and pains. She never did anything to deserve what punishment she was given. Her beatings were given out of spite, brutality, drunkenness, and arrogance. Now she was wishing that she could break out of these blasted ropes and give the gang a hardcore lesson to prove that she was not the frightened calf as they claim her to be.

"Should we remove this thing yet?" the man tugged lightly at her blindfold. "Or should we wait till we get back to the hideout?"

"Don't ya'll remember what Miss Stoneheart mentioned before we entered town? She wants her brought back alive so that we don't ruin the heifers coat for her to use in her next performance on stage."

MY COAT?! WHAT DOES HE MEAN USE MY COAT? Grace thought shockingly. That was something Grace had never heard of, but she didn't like the sound of it one bit. A cold sweat ran down her forehead as she shuffled in her coffee bag believing she could get away from here.

"It does no good to escape like that bovine," the voice scoffed mockingly. "The only way out is to have someone untie yah; but we ain't gonna do that till later. Since yah don't know who we are, we'll show yah." In a slow methodical way, one bandit unraveled the cloth that kept her vision in darkness. When it was removed, the last light of the setting sun stung her eyes a bit through the holes. It took her a few seconds to focus on who her abductors really turned out to be. Her fears had finally been realized when she was gazing at the figure of Scar Face Sam sitting atop a trunk.

* * *

_That night on Patch of Heaven_

Meanwhile in Chugwater, the news of the bank robbery left most of the townsfolk in a panic about their savings and finances. The only relief was that they didn't steal every single money bag, but in case the mysterious outlaws were to come riding back, the town had to be put on high alert. Hours after a town meeting, Sheriff Brown ordered the townsfolk to report any unusual activity for better safety precautions. And as much as he hated to do this, a curfew had to be made: to not wander town or the outskirts after sundown. During the dead of night, dangerous predators as well as thieves have been known to prowl the desert trails, including the valleys closer to town. So far, nobody bothered to complain or protest against this curfew. When it comes to dangerous catastrophes, something had to be done for the better. Only deputies, marshals, and other lawmen were allowed to walk out at that time.

Back on Patch of Heaven, Pearl Gesner was indeed distraught over the sudden disappearance of Grace after Sam Brown dropped by to warn her of the previous bank robbery by five gunmen unheard of in the state of Colorado. She was informed to keep her animals locked safely in their pens and that all the doors should be locked up at all times upon nightfall. But she had not known about Grace missing until Rusty found his way up to the farm while carrying the heifer's bell in his mouth to show the sheriff. To Sam's surprise, he reckoned that it was possible that she might have been captured when the bank robbery took place; captured by the thieves that is. He encouraged Pearl that it wasn't her fault or anyone else's because these kinds of events just happen at times whether one expects them to or not. No one can ever be in two places at the same time. Pearl asked him anxiously if it was possible for him and his men to search for wherever Grace may be. He advised her that the best the lawmen could do for now was to keep their eyes open, search for more clues, question each townsfolk to find more information about the thieves, and report any suspicious activity to the sheriff's office on the double. The kindly owner of Patch of Heaven understood completely, knowing that it might not do the lawmen any good to go wandering late at night not knowing where to begin; especially since they did not know where the thieves came from or where they headed. She would have hated to pressure Sheriff Brown into hurrying faster on this new case, but Pearl couldn't keep herself from worrying about the danger Grace might be in now that she is out there all alone with a gang of desperadoes. Starting tomorrow, she would check the sheriff's office every now and then to see if they had any lead.

"Sleep well girls," Pearl stood outside the den wishing the two remaining cows good night. "And remember to stay inside and don't open the door for anyone." She closed the doors and went back inside her house for a good night sleep. Inside, no one could see her sitting on a chair staring down sadly at the cowbell she held in her hands.

"Well, it looks like we're stuck here," Maggie muttered as she tried to fall asleep on the soft hay underneath her chin. "I never thought it would come to this. Maybe we shouldn't have let her come along."

"But she was desperate to join us on our walk as well as choosing to wander off the other side on her own," Mrs. Calloway had her head turned the other side struggling to rest. "Not that I blame her. But blaming ourselves isn't going to solve anything. The only option for us to do now is to wait here in case more news is brought up. Perhaps the more information there is, the more it might help us find out where Grace has been taken."

"But what was that thing Rusty mentioned about that singer, Miss Shirley placing those men under her spell?"

"I don't know Maggie, but it's late and we should be asleep by now." Yawning, she shifted into a better comfortable position. "All he said was that he didn't trust her after witnessing how she stared greedily at our…" That was when Mrs. C's eyes flew open widely as she raised her head up. "Wait a minute."

"What, what is it?" Maggie asked groggily with her eyes half closed. "Did a buzzard just fly in?"

Mrs. C rolled her eyes. "No, I'm wondering how on earth a woman from out of state ever got a hold on that newspaper article. It has been several months since it was published and should have already been out of print and forgotten by now."

"Hmm," Maggie mumbled thoughtfully, scratching her chin with her hoof. "Now that's an interestin' question. I don't know about that, but I'm startin' to think that Rusty may be right about her."

"If she is behind the disappearance of Grace, then why hasn't she already made a run for it?" Mrs. Calloway gnawed on her hoof trying to figure it out.

"Maybe she's one of those outlaws who fake innocence to take advantage of men who will do anything for a beautiful face…so that they don't suspect a thing," Maggie guessed frantically.

"Well whatever she's up to, Buck says he'll look into it," with a tired yawn, Mrs. C laid her head back down on the hay with her eyes closed. "We'll talk more in the morning." Soon she was overcome with sleep.

Maggie nestled her head to get more comfortable. In her mind, Maggie wished that she and Mrs. Calloway were out on the trail again in search of Grace. But she had to admit from Mrs. C that it was no good trying to do so at this point. A curfew was made, and only lawmen were allowed to roam outside during this hour of the night. Plus they still didn't know where the thieves had taken Grace. She might still be somewhere in this state or possibly out of state for all they knew. This new case was tougher than she thought it would be.

* * *

_In a hotel room_

The new singer, Shirley stood at the window with her arms behind her back. From there, she watched as two or three lawmen were patrolling the quiet streets keeping an eye out for danger. Still wearing her previous ultramarine Victorian style outfit, she smiled ironically as she sat on the bed. Digging inside her purse, Shirley began counting each and every gold coin that she earned from singing on stage. It was enough to buy five fancy hats.

"Foolish ruffians," she chuckled, still counting. "Every one of them cowpokes will do anything for a pretty lady." She turned to a nearby mirror admiring her face while adjusting her hair. "Soon I'll be the most famous singer and dancer in the entire west. With each performance, everyone will keep giving and giving without takin' their eyes off me." She took out a small notebook to write something down. "I just hope that gang is handlin' the blond heifer carefully. When I get back home, she's mine."


	6. The Return of Scar Face Sam

**Chapter 6: The Return of Scar Face Sam**

Grace couldn't believe what her eyes set upon. She blinked them repeatedly to make sure that she wasn't imagining things in any sort of way. No wonder he and his gang went on rambling about her scars and how she was still the same frightened calf deep inside. No one else would know about that information but her old enemies standing before her this moment. She already recognized the faces of the other four who appeared to have a few bruised welts on their faces, Carl, Gene, Tom, and Hickory. That was when Grace remembered when she heard Buck calling out to her and then climbing aboard to try and stop these guys. The only thing he had succeeded in was giving them a few kicks and punches, yet he had missed Sam. But with him being the sheriff's horse, he would go back to town and figure out a way to rescue her instead of giving up too soon.

Taking a look at her new surroundings, there wasn't much to see in this stock cart but a couple barrels, coffee bags, and a bundle of hay piled to her left. Easing her neck and shoulder blades, she caught a glimpse of the coffee bag over her entire body and the other four outlaws sitting atop other objects. They hadn't changed a bit. The expressions on their faces were as dangerous, serious, and threatening as ever. Despite the bruises, the bandits kept their confidence in returning to Texas as fast as possible before more horse thieves like Buck got in the way. What Grace didn't know was that no other outlaw gang in the west would take serious chances of having their plans foiled; especially if it meant destroying evidence to protect themselves or perhaps killing the captive! It was still too soon for her to know what their ultimate goal was.

_So, my old nemesis has returned to claim me for his own I suppose._ Grace thought, staring blankly around at her captors. _But why me, why can't these no good ruffians just leave me alone? What else could they want from me?_ The other questions that swam in her mind were how the bandits found her here when they were supposed to be in jail. It was simply confusing. Grace fought back the tears that were forming in her eyes. If she had stayed along with Maggie and Mrs. Calloway instead of choosing to chase the other bandit on her own, she might not have been on this endless train ride. _What am I blaming myself for? It's not like I knew what was going to happen. I'll get out of this mess, somehow._ She was still too frightened to think straight.

"Remember me?" Sam was leaning in front of her, his cold steel eyes filled with the same madness from when she accidentally met him out in the prairie while running away from the wrath of Lewis. "Your old pal Sam?" Grace looked up at him with moistened eyes, pleading for him to spare her life and set her free. "I thought so, with the way you're probably pleadin' for your life to spared inside that head o' yours." He continued, as if reading her mind. "Afraid we can't do that yah see. If we did that, then the deal with Miss Stoneheart would be broken."

_You theivin' rascal!_ Grace thought bitterly, her tongue tasted the potato and she struggled to keep the tears from spilling. She still had no clue what the gang plotted to do with her or how many hours she was knocked unconscious. And the irritating ropes binding her front legs were now cutting through one of her ankles. Even then, it felt a little oozy in which Grace sensed that it was bleeding, but hopefully not too seriously. Her mouth hurt from holding the potato and the muscles in her legs ached from the tightness of the ropes. She wriggled to get away from Sam, but it was no use.

"If the potato is botherin' yah, then I suppose we can take it out if it'll make yah feel a lot more comfortable," he placed his hand on the potato and the moment he moved it out of her mouth, she let out a blood curdling scream.

"HELP, HELP ME!!" she hollered at the air. "HEELL…" Sam clamped his gloved hand over her mouth and muffled her scream.

"HEELLLP, HEELLLPP!!" Sam mimicked her cries in a mocking tone. Since people could not understand an animal's cry or speak their language, the cries from Grace were nothing but a loud moo. But he assumed that she was trying to call for help. Then he chuckled darkly. "Nice try bovine, but there ain't nobody out here that can hear your cries." He bent downward to her face and poked her firmly in the chest. "What'd yah think we are, STUPID?"

Seeing that it would be futile to continue screaming, Grace stopped and gulped. Beads of nervous sweat oozed down her forehead as she remained still with her eyes locked onto Sam's. She could tell by that look in his eyes that he was serious. The Yeller Gang was too smart and clever to fall for any trick that she would try to pull under their noses. They may be ruthless, vile, and cunning, but they were not stupid. With Sam's hand over her mouth, she kept her breathing pattern slow and quiet in case he were to threaten to do something drastic if she didn't stop.

"Any o' you boys got another handkerchief?" he asked the gang, keeping close to Grace. "The potato is useless now." Each gang member fished into their pockets in search of another cloth or bandanna long enough for Sam to use on Grace. Finally, Carl reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a long white washcloth to hand it over to Sam. Taking it, the gang leader first used a thick cord he snatched from a coffee bag and tied it around the heifer's snout for better precaution of keeping her from hollering. Then he wrapped the cloth over her mouth and tied a tight knot at the back of her head. Now she had no chance of screaming for the rest of the trip. "Just try n' get yourself outta that," he mocked.

Indeed, Grace was unable to open her mouth by an inch. Rather than being kept quiet with that potato, a new gag would take its place right at this moment. But at least her mouth would not be held wide open anymore. That would just cause another terrible ache in her tense muscle. All she did underneath was mumble.

"We came all the way from Texas to find yah," Sam murmured lowly, pointing his finger directly at her forehead. "Rottin' away in a dank jail cell, doin' garbage duty, and bein' mocked by the guards until Miss Shirley Stoneheart came along and busted us outta there. With her help, we succeeded in ridin' our way to Coal Mine Canyon, also known as an entrance to Outlaw Country. She's good at keepin' her end of a hard bargain than other ruffians we've ever met." He took hold of Grace's chin, forcing her head up. "If it weren't for us diggin' round in those pile of old newspapers durin' jail time, we never would've known that you had gone on livin' to became a hero in your town. Well I must admit that I'm quite surprised…" He forced her head to turn the left side, still holding her chin. "…to see yah grow up to be mighty purtier than most cattle. If you were ours, then you'd be worth $1,200 or more if we sold yah at Anderson's meat market. But there will always be plenty o' money for us to steal and by selling off those workin' cattle in the mines."

Grace felt her face grow hot just by listening to him rant at her. Now was one of these rare times when she felt the need to stand up to the Yeller Gang once and for all. After all these years, the gang thought they still had control over her as their other past victims. But deep down, she feared that the gang would be allowed to do something worst to her if she didn't find a way out of this sooner. Sweat poured down her face again as the coffee bag trapping her body was becoming rather stuffy inside. However, Sam kept going on.

"Too bad for ol' Lewis however," that part caught Grace's interest. "His outrage caused him to be shipped off to a mental institution somewhere in the state of Alabama with our dearest dog Tuck. Well the truth is that we don't need him no more now that we got Shirley."

Her interest in what happened to her cruel owner mattered little to her. At least the train wasn't heading to Alabama. But what he talked about still didn't explain anything about the ruckus back at Chugwater or who Shirley Stoneheart was (except mentioning her name). When was he going to get to that part?

"Hmm, night has fallen," Sam gazed at the hole in the stock cart where he viewed to see the sky had turned to evening. A few silhouettes passed by with stars twinkling from behind the view. "We should be there by tomorrow afternoon. And if we are to pass by unseen, then we better get an early start. Remember, we sneak in the back of the wagon and hide ourselves once we're off. It'll take us back faster." The gang rested themselves against the soft comfortable coffee bags to use as pillows for the rest of the night. Sam released the heifer's chin and crawled over to a nearby bag where he had succumbed to sleep. "Good night,

Grief-stricken, Grace collapsed her head on the cushion below and turned to the right side as she burst into tears. The ropes inside hurt intensely. Already it was starting to feel like an eternity since she was captured and taken aboard this train ride. She had never been to Texas or had known what it was like down there. To her, it sounded like a pretty rough place to visit or be held captive at. How would she ever plan her escape in such a place surrounded by the most dangerous desperados who were never caught by the eye of the law? Even if she did escape, they were sure to catch her and bring her back to their hideout and give her a terrible beating or possibly kill her. With the darkness that engulfed the stock cart, it was hard for her to tell what time it was, not that she cared.

_Kill me already!_ She thought sadly as she stared dully at the wall. _I'd rather die than live as a captive at their hideout!_ She shook her head hesitantly to calm herself in the unknown danger she was in. _Okay so I may be stuck in a life-threatening situation, but there is no need to jump to conclusions too soon. I still have to figure out a plan of escape once this train ride is over. The only problem is where I will hide. And how am I ever to get back to Patch of Heaven if I'm in Texas? I'm, so alone and confused. I don't want to wait and find out what happens, but there's nothing else I can do now, I mean not in this condition anyway._

Grace felt the tears go sliding from her eyes as she buried her face against a cushion. Already the first day of spring had passed and this was not her idea of how she wanted to spend the season. She can't feel hopeless now. After all she and her friends were heroic cows, despite some of the dangers they landed in. But even the smartest and clever heroes get themselves in peril sometimes. Yet instead of giving up too soon, they would always try and figure a way out of that mess, even if it may take all their lives. A lifetime of captivity?! Grace did not want to think about what would happen if that was what awaited her. She had to keep believing that her friends were safe at home and trying to figure out a way to rescue her. Only question was, how long would that take?


	7. No such luck

**Chapter 7: No such luck**

During the early morning hours, Grace kept her tired eyes closed as she was close to waking up. With the voices she heard all around her, it was a little hard for her to tell whether she was still asleep or awake. Everything that happened to her recently must have been a bad dream, or at least she wanted to believe that. This entire nightmare about her old enemies returning to claim her for their own and taking her away from her loving family was nothing but an illusion she feared would come true. But when the first morning light from the rising sun shone through a hole in the stock cart, Grace cringed and turned over to the left side. Groaning from the pain in her head, Grace hoped that she would awaken in the back of a building closer to home and run back to the farm before Pearl noticed her missing. She opened her eyes slowly so that her vision would become clear. The bandits were still asleep against the cushions snoring softly.

_Morning already, how long was I asleep?_ Shuffling in her bag, Grace remembered that the only part of her body she could move was her head. Nothing else worked for her. And the pain in her front ankle felt afire. Tugging at the ropes would only lead to more intense heat and bleeding, so it would do no good trying to break out. Looking around with her eyes half opened, she knew there was no chance of her planning an escape while she's still here. Even if she tried doing so, she'd either be killed on the tracks or else risks having the bandits awaken to knock her senseless again. She tried to open her mouth, but remembered that a cord and gag had prevented her from doing so. _Oh great, I suppose being tied up and gagged now makes me look like a helpless damsel waiting to be rescued. What would my friends think of me then?_ It was becoming more difficult for Grace to push aside all her negative thoughts to focus on an escape plan. _I wish none of this had to happen,_ she thought pitifully. _But that is beyond my control and I can't undo it. Maybe they probably would've still kidnapped me if they already knew where I lived. So I must focus on what is now. I must have patience_. She reminded herself calmly as she rested her head against a cushion, still feeling a bit sleepy. It hadn't occurred to her that it may only be a matter of time before her friends and the lawmen found a single clue that would lead them to the whereabouts of the Yeller Gang whom only Grace knew about. They were unknown and unheard of in Chugwater and the lawmen might as well send out a search party or something.

That was when Grace listened as one of the bandits awoke a few minutes after she tried to go back to sleep. Hearing him yawn, Grace shut her eyes tight pretending to be dead asleep. Of course, it was Carl who had already noticed she was awake by how she stirred slightly. Rising up, he moved over to her and placed his hand on her right cheek. "Good mornin', are yah hungry?" he asked in a somewhat friendly voice.

Grace flinched in confusion from having been asked that question. _What is this ruffian playin' at?_ She thought suspiciously. _Does he think I don't know what real hunger is? I doubt anyone one of them is goin' to start treatin' me nicely._ _Then again, I am a little hungry. I haven't eaten anything all day yesterday._ She tried to move away but his strong hand held her down. What happened next was him placing his hands on her bagged body and lifting her into a more upward position of her sitting straight against the cushions.

"Alright, if yah are hungry, I'll give yah somethin' but…" reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out a bowie knife and shoved it near her throat. "…there'd better be no screamin' or else." He growled, giving her a warning glare. The bowie knife was the perfect weapon for any cowpoke to use for fighting or hunting, but not if it was intended for an outlaw to use in a kidnapping crisis.

Sweating, Grace swallowed hard as she felt the sharp end dig deep under her chin. She held her breath until Carl took it away and went over to open a bag of wheat. It wasn't hard for her to admit to herself that she was hungry, especially after feeling the pangs in her stomach. Before he began to feed her, he slid the gag down her mouth to undo the knot from which Sam used earlier. Rather than biting him, Grace just opened her mouth and allowed Carl to give some wheat to chew down as if he were feeding a horse on a corral. It tasted similar to the hay back at home, but Grace felt a little grateful that the bandits had no intention of starving her. If they were to keep her alive throughout this trip, then she'd have to be fed every other hour. Finishing every last bite, she allowed him to retie the cord around her snout and move the gag upward again. He shuffled with it to make sure it was on tight and secured. It would have still been foolish of her to try and bite him as long as he had a weapon in hand. With it, she'd lose her tongue or possibly have her throat slit.

"Good girl," he smirked, scratching the top of her head. "I'd know yah wouldn't resist." Grace watched him move the wheat aside and turned his back to tend to other matters. Because of that, she couldn't tell whether he was eating something or whatever usual thing these bandits always intended. In truth, Carl had been shaving his face (covered with foam) with the same bowie knife he threatened Grace with. He did it in slow motion to avoid cutting himself in the wrong area in case this train was to make a rather unsatisfied bump. She listened to him hum some kind of country tune while still shaving away.

_Just listen to him sing while I'm stuck like this. Does he really expect me to believe that I don't have what it takes to fight back or try to escape? I'll show them, somehow._ At first, Grace was angry. But then she sighed loudly. She mustn't get her hopes up all too soon. All she needed still was patience for the right opportunity to come along. There was no other way. _Stay focused girl, now is not the time for you to get all scatterbrained at a time like this. Have patience._ Grace turned her mind back to her family. She wondered how everyone over there was reacting to her sudden disappearance in Chugwater. They must be worried sick about her and wondering if they'll ever see her come back safely. What they didn't know was that she was far from home, being held captive on a train heading to Texas with the possibility of never seeing them again. The very thought of living in captivity for the rest of her life made her heart ache. Grace didn't want to imagine what it would be like without Maggie and Mrs. Calloway standing beside her. She didn't want to relive what she went through as a calf. Everyone would be heartbroken to find her missing for more than a month and possibly give up hope that she'll return to them, especially Pearl. She loved her too dearly to even think of giving up on her, despite being worried. Grace kept on hoping that somehow she'll find a way out of this mess, even if it may take her whole life.

* * *

_In Chugwater_

The lawmen had no such luck in finding the mysterious crooks responsible for robbing the bank and possibly kidnapping one of the heroic cows. It was already starting to become a rather difficult case for them to solve, unlike any other case they've ever come across. But Sheriff Brown kept telling his men and all other citizens to keep an eye out and report any suspicious activity to them. Mysterious men like that had been known to come back anytime. Pearl once showed up at the office while she had been doing a little shopping to ask if they had any lead. When the response was nothing yet, she was a little disappointed, but encouraged them to try their best. It had only been a day since Grace was gone, so Pearl vowed that she would not give up hope of them finding her. All she could do now was keep her animals in their pens safely during the curfew at night.

Rusty, who still suspected Miss Shirley of being involved in the bank robbery scheme, had talked Buck into spying on the new singer during her performance on stage in the saloon. The men's reaction to her singing had been the same as yesterday; cheering, hollering, coin throwing, and demanding an encore. Buck didn't see anything wrong with that, but when her job was done, she'd walk backstage to enter the dressing room for a short rest. What the singer didn't know was that there was a small window in which Rusty and Buck used to peek through for investigating. Miss Shirley sat herself on a soft stool by the mirror to write a few notes in her notebook.

"I can't see what she's doing in there," Buck whispered. With the window all dusty and scratched it was hard to tell what she was actually writing. "She's writing something, but what is it?" He was beginning to have doubts about this singer.

"Keep watching," Rusty replied. "She's bound to have some kind of connection. I remember her riding in that darn stagecoach with a strange rider drivin' it. Yet her feared reaction to the bank robbery was quite unbelievable; if I didn't know any better, I say she's either an uncarin' gal or a great actress." They both stopped whispering to listen closely as she muttered something to herself.

"Coins, beautiful dazzlin' coins," she gazed at a few coins and miniature diamonds with a small eyeglass. "It looks like show business isn't as bad as some folk's say it is. Humph, well whatta they know? With that kind o' audience, folks from every state are bound to respect and pay yah at the same time. And it's the perfect way to keep them from knowin' what you're up to," her voice sounded pleasant as she powdered her face and used red lipstick on her lips. Then she looked in the mirror with a bitter expression. "But I still can't have that inheritance because they saw I'm nothin' but a troublemaker." She pounded her fist on the mirror in an outrage. "But do they think that'll stop me from gettin' what I want? Hah, it was directed to me and no one else. It'll be mine alright. All those townsfolk need is a little persuasion into handin' it over."

Saying no more, Miss Shirley took a piece of paper to write something else down. Buck and Rusty looked at each other dully from what they over heard her say. What concerned them more was her ranting on about keeping folks from knowing what you're up to and the way she talked about getting her hands on an inheritance supposedly directed to her. Not seeing what she was writing was the least of their worries. That would have to wait. If only one of them could sneak in the dressing room and try to snatch that notebook out.

"Hmm, I wonder if there's anything else interestin' to see in that little notebook of hers," Rusty said suspiciously. "Gotta snatch it somehow."

"What does she mean by persuading the townsfolk into giving it to her?" Buck asked curiously. "I'm starting to think that you're right about this."

"I don't know exactly, but I've heard her tell Annie that she was goin' to stay for at least a week because of some other important business to attend to in Texas."

"That's strange, most of her songs are all about life in Texas," Buck chimed in.

"What does that mean?"

"I remember hearing that crook shouting LOOK OUT TEXAS, HERE WE COME…after being pushed off the train," he replied. "This must mean that…" Buck turned to Rusty waiting for him to say it.

"…that they've taken her to Texas!"

While Shirley admired herself, she thought there were two animals watching from a small window reflected in the mirror. Whirling around, she looked to find nothing.

"Was it my imagination or was someone watchin' me?" she shrugged her shoulders and went back to fixing her hair.

* * *

_Meanwhile, on the train_

Grace did not remember falling asleep for at least three hours until she woke up to find Scar Face Sam gazing in front of her with a revolver in hand. He seized a handful of the bag over her neck and pulled her toward him. "We're bout to get off this train, so we expect yah to play it cool and there won't be any trouble." He threw his arm around her neck while he pointed the revolver deep into the side of her face. "Remember, do what we tell yah." He added evenly.

Grace could hear the whistle blowing outside along with the train slowing down for a stop. The train ride may have finally been over, but the nightmare of captivity in Texas was only beginning. She kept her gaze on the barrel of Sam's gun as two of the bandits came over to her. She trembled as one of them loosened up the cord of the bag and was preparing to cover her head.

"Sorry bout this little lady," Grace didn't have a chance to see what else was happening before the same black cloth had once again been thrown over her eyes. Afterward, the bag was moved to cover her entirely. Panic stricken, Grace made a few small screams that were muffled by the gag. It was not enough to call for help, but Grace just couldn't help keep her fear level down. This type of danger was far worse than the one she and her friends faced before. This time she was on her own. And it was still no use trying to break out of the bonds, unless she wanted to suffer from another serious cut. When the train pulled to a stop, Grace could hear the sound of the door to the stock cart being pulled open. Then she felt her body being lifted up off the floor, sensing that the bandits were now jumping off the cart and already outside.

From inside the bag, Grace stopped trying to break out of the ropes and gave in to a torrent of tears that moistened the cloth over her eyes. In a short while, her sobs had diminished. Her ears perked up at the sound of a few people walking and talking from a mile away where she was at. She reckoned those folks were outside of the train station either getting on or off the train. Would any one of them notice five suspicious ruffians carrying a strange bag to an unknown area? Or did the coffee bag serve as a perfect way to stay undercover?

Suddenly she began to hear hooves galloping on the ground like rumbling thunder. What was it, a cattle drive or a stampede? When the noise grew closer and closer, she felt herself stopped somewhere. The tone in Sam's voice quivered with caution as he ordered his men.

"Boys, get ready to take cover, cause here come the lawmen!"


	8. Wild Goose Chase

**Chapter 8: Wild Goose Chase**

_Lawmen, did he just say the lawmen were coming?_ Grace could almost feel a small glimpse of hope within her heart. But then she remembered that the Yeller Gang was just now clever enough to avoid being spotted as before. That's when something clicked on inside her head. If there are lawmen riding on horses, wouldn't they already have noticed these five rascals carrying a bag awfully heavy for coffee beans? An average kind would only need one or two people to carry it. Grace hated to have felt anxiety rise up in her as she trembled slightly while trying to decide whether or not to move her bound legs upward against the bag. If she did that, the riders were likely to be suspicious of something being kept alive in a bag. Then again, what if one of the bandits sensed that she was up to something once he saw her moving inside? Oh what the heck! Despite the gag, Grace made a few loud moans as she scratched her hooves against the bag, hoping to attract attention from the riders.

"Hurry, they're comin'!" Grace kept moving her legs, ignoring the unpleasant feeling of rock pebbles sliding and being carried over to an unknown area. She didn't stop twitching or moaning until she was pounded on the back from outside.

"Quit movin', or I'll pound yah," Sam's voice whispered harshly as the gang moved behind a tree with the thickest leafy branches. Every one of the bandits hid themselves cautiously where they were certain that no other rider would dare to look. The crunching of pebbles from galloping hooves could be heard within a couple of feet from the hiding spot. Somewhere in the distance, the whinnying of horses strained at her ears a bit. The noises had grown closer, but it was barely enough to indicate whether she was a mile away from the train station or possibly at a nearby boomtown filled with townsfolk. Then the galloping ceased, and a few seconds later, Grace could hear talking.

"Where'd they go?" spoke a manly voice. It sounded tough and serious. "Could a sworn they might've gone this way!"

"Did any o' you boys see them carryin' somethin' suspicious with'em?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but I thought I saw them hooligans movin' along with a huge bag the size of a long timber log. It might be a bunch o' stolen money."

"Let's keep lookin'; they'll have to show themselves sooner or later!"

After that, the distant hoof beats pressed on until they became fainter and disappeared. But instead of walking on the trail, their plan was to tread softly through the dry trees in case those riders were to come riding back this way. The flame-colored cypress trees proved to serve as great protection from detection. Grace could feel a breath of fresh air as Hickory moved the opening of the bag downward to her neck as he retied the cord.

"Should we remove the bag from her boss?" Hickory questioned Sam eagerly.

"No, not until we're over those hills straight ahead," Sam replied, pointing the way. "Then we won't need it no more. Come on, we're off. Just remember not to make too much of a racket." The bandits followed Sam as he led them through the thickest parts of the forest while sticking along the opened trail for an hour walk. "If some wanderin' passerby sees us carryin' an animal, just say we were huntin' down game." He chuckled as the bandits kept moving. The boughs of the branches became thicker every minute, but that didn't bother them one bit because they had actually traveled here before. The bandits knew where they were going and their captive didn't.

During this hour, Grace could barely keep her dignity as her eyes had moistened under her black blindfold. She had no idea how long this walk was going to last or how far it would be to this place called Coal Mine Canyon. A week, a month, a year, who knows? Now Grace wished that she weren't blindfolded so that she would take a good look at her surroundings. How was she to make an escape if this land was new to her? And was it even possible to find her way home while she was in another state? Swallowing hard, Grace was starting to feel her throat and mouth watering with thirst. She might have been fed, but would she ever be allowed to have a sip of cool water? The worst thing about this trip was suffering from both hunger and thirst while she could do nothing to settle this problem as long as she was bound and gagged. But at least it wasn't a scorching summer day. That would have caused the bag to become stuffier enough to cut off her air supply. Along the way, she could hear the bandits make small quiet discussions of where to go next and what road to take. Like any other captive, Grace kept quiet as the gang moved down a steep hill where the trees grew thinner.

Several minutes later, Grace was unable to see that the bandits had stopped at a small ranch where Sam had purchased five horses from the owner who had been selling a number of the herd in the corral. The rancher had even bought the story of these courageous hunters bringing down a tough animal when he had asked why it was all bagged up good and tight. Grace made a small noise of digust hearing it. This was simply unbearable and she didn't know how long she would put up with this. That was when Grace felt herself being lifted off the ground and possibly set over Sam's new black steed like a traveling bag. She wasn't too heavy for the horse to carry since he was an awfully big fellow with the perfect muscular body. With Sam's left arm wrapped firmly around her neck, Grace had no chance of jumping off to make an escape.

Kicking their horses into motion, the bandits began to race on the trail which they felt certain were now safe for them to travel on. Grace cringed as the hoof beats echoed in her chest like thunder beneath the earth. She had not forgotten what it was like being placed over some outlaw's horse when she was a small calf. It had scared her deeply and Grace could feel the same kind of fear returning to her mind. She could hear the rustling of branches and rocks sliding as the bandits kept on riding.

Amidst her daydreams that she would somehow find a way out of this, Grace thought that she heard other hoof beats other than the ones from the bandits. Either that or maybe it was just her imagination. But when Sam ordered his men to turn to the left, she was proven wrong when other mysterious voices were demanding for them to stop. Could it be the same voices from before she was led deep into the woods? Did they already notice something moving in the bag which Sam held on tightly to keep from falling? Grace tried kicking and screaming for more attention, but her cries were lost in the tumult. The feeling of the horses thundering down the valley terrified her of what would happen if she fell off the trail or over a cliff.

_Why are these ruffians goin' faster? Are they really tryin' to outrun someone or is there a thunderstorm comin' our way? All this commotion is drivin' me crazy! And I want off this crazy horse right away!_ The heifer's cries were muffled by her gag, but Grace was in too much of a panic to care, now that her head was throbbing in pain from the entire ruckus.

Then by some miracle, the blindfold suddenly flew off from Grace allowing her to see what was happening. But Grace squinted when the light from the sun stung her eyes as it took her a few seconds to focus on where she was. At first she could only view explosions of colors, but soon she looked down to see the ground moving at an extremely fast pace before the bandits jumped their horses over a couple of boulders that caused the pain in Grace's head to increase. To her surroundings, Grace pictured a few cypress trees stick up from the hills and spring-fed streams. Unbeknownst to her, this area was referred to as Hill County inhabited by numbers and herds of many forest animals in the secluded river canyons. Grace had tried turning her head back to see if there were other riders following them, but Sam's grip kept her still.

"Stop, stop right there yah double crossin' dog!" A rough voice demanded from behind where he rode. "I said stop or we'll have to do this the hard way!"

"Just try n' catch us if yah can partner!" Sam hollered back to the voice. "That I'd like to see!" He gave his horse another kick to push him forward. The bandits usually had the most fun in outrunning the lawmen at their heels without fear. They weren't afraid of getting themselves caught, but there was always the fear of having their favorite hiding spot discovered at odds. And if that happened, they'd have to move into further hiding where they hoped that no other rider would bother traveling at.

From behind, another horse with a different bearded rider brushed against Sam's horse, almost knocking him over. If this rider was a lawman, shouldn't he be wearing a gold badge or something? Needless to say that Sam brushed back to push him aside. Then more mysterious voices were shouting at the bandits demanding that they give themselves up. There was simply too much noise here for Grace to concentrate on what to do after this wild goose chase was over. She almost didn't care if these voices caught up with the Yeller Gang or not, she just wanted this ride to end quickly. Grace knew the gang was trying to outrun these other riders as fast as possible.

Soon the horses were galloping along the edge of a dry ridge. This area had split and braided in different directions where most travelers hunted here and there for food and to search for fresh water. It was almost difficult for the riders to see where they were heading because of the thick branches and huge boulders, but nobody dared to stop for a moment. Sam had ordered his men to turn right at the end of the ridge, hoping the lawmen would lose sight of them.

"Get ready boys!" Sam warned his men as they were now nearing the end of the path that was a flat surface of red rock. They were planning to jump over the cliff and onto the next ridge that was on the other side. "Get ready to jump for it!" He narrowed his eyes to prepare for a long jump across the hole.

Taking a glimpse at the edge, fear struck Grace like a bolt of lightening. _He can't be thinkin' of jumpin' over that cliff can he?_ She thought anxiously. _We'd all be killed!_ Unable to see what happened, Grace shut her eyes tightly as each of the five horses gained speed with every stride and galloped across the open air with all their strength and will. _Is it over or are we dead yet?_ Grace thought she felt a few hits jolt through her body. She opened her eyes halfway to see the horses catching their breath from all that running. The long jump left them to drag in one breath after another. She reckoned that their jump was a success letting her breathe a sigh of relief.

"SOMEDAY YOU CROOK!!" Grace moved her head where she saw a couple of riders standing on the other edge from where the bandits made their long jump. It seemed that the red bearded rider was pointing and shouting out at the Yeller Gang in both disbelief and anger of being outrun. "SOMEDAY WE'LL CATCH YAH!" Their horses had skidded to a halt upon reaching the edge and were too afraid of making a risky jump over a high plateau floor. The riders turned their horses around to make haste back to where they came from.

"We sure showed them boss," Gene said proudly as the bandits watched the riders disappear behind the hills.

"For now," Sam replied lowly. "But that don't mean they've given up already. Let's go before more riders see us."

Rather than galloping, the bandits moved their horses slowly so that they would be given time to regain their strength before thundering again. It was for the best. While the horses moved westward, Grace moaned in despair feeling her spirits sink low when she realized that the riders were indeed lawmen chasing after the ruthless desperadoes. And soon the Yeller Gang would be taking her further into the deepest woods where they might plan to make camp and boast of their success. She wondered if they would finally speak of who Miss Stoneheart was then, because that was now the only question ringing in her mind.

* * *

_That night_

When the sun had set behind the hills, the gang made camp on a grassy spot by a little lake where their horses would feed and drink. Gene gathered wood for the fire as Hickory and Carl went out into the woods to hunt down whatever large animal they could find. Tom went over to a spot to guard their trail and keep a lookout for riders that might be following them. And Sam set out five plates with each fork and knife before taking out biscuits and cans of beans which were opened with a bowie knife and poured into a silver kettle over the firewood held by a strong thick spit. By the time it had turned dark, two of the bandits returned with three large pheasants. While the fire was being prepared, the feathers had to be plucked off before it got onto the skillet for cooking. Tom returned to inform the gang that there had been no sign of riders following the trail at this moment which was a great relief.

Grace finally had the coffee bag removed from her entire body, but her four legs remained tied with the same ropes from when she was first captured. Her mouth was no longer gagged with the cloth or cord, but now that her neck was tied securely to a cypress tree, Grace leaned against the trunk feeling tired out from the punishing journey. She had no intention of calling for help anymore, seeing that it would just be pointless in a place like this. If she did, then it was back to being gagged for the night. But it was mostly because she didn't want folks thinking that she was a helpless damsel who wasn't smart enough to take care of herself. The cypress tree she was tied to was close enough to the river for her to drink from. Grace was thirsty, but part of the throbbing pain in her head remained. The more she moved it, the painful it became. She lowered her head slowly on the hard, cold ground hoping the pain would ease down soon. Once it cleared, then she would drink.

"How I wish that I weren't tied up so often," Grace moaned quietly so the bandits wouldn't hear her. "I wonder how Maggie and Mrs. Calloway are doin' back at home. Hope they're not takin' this too seriously."

Grace tried to get her mind off her sorrows by thinking of other important things such as coming up with the right time to make her escape. Gazing into the darkness of the woods, Grace could hear crickets chirping and strange birds cackling in the further distance from the campfire. Sometimes the noises made her shiver with fright. Listening, Grace did not plan on escaping at this night, especially when there might be wandering eyes watching her every move from behind the bushes.

"It sounds awfully too dangerous to escape in this area anyway," she whispered uneasily. "There might as well be carnivores out huntin' for their prey." Trying not to think about it, the heifer tried humming a tune.

With her back turned from the campfire, Grace looked at her bound legs in front to see if there was a cut anywhere, but it was hard to tell in the darkness. If she had injured herself earlier, then she'd have to drag over to the lake and dip her legs in order to prevent an infection from spreading. Listening to the gang joke and boast of their success during meal time did nothing to help her concentrate. The unpleasant memory of her cruel owner whipping her severely in the woods flashed back into her mind. She had not forgotten what it was like to feel the stinging sensation of those whip strokes given to her from before. Grace felt that she shouldn't have to be afraid of being whipped again, but part of that fear wouldn't go away.

"No, I can't let that happen to me again," Grace murmured, trying to be brave. "No matter what happens throughout this journey or what these men do to me, I must be strong. Even if escape is inevitable right now, I must never give up hope. I'm not that little calf anymore and I won't let these ruffians bring me down. I'm a grown heifer and I should know better."

While Grace was busy trying to calm her fears, she didn't bother to notice Sam walk over to her with two plates in his hands. Only then did she jump at the scraping of the plates when Sam pushed it toward her face with his foot.

"Eat up bovine," Sam ordered in a voice that could grind rocks. "You outta be grateful that we ain't gonna starve yah!"

Grace stared blandly for a moment at the plates of leftover scraps. Looking up at Sam again with his arms crossed, he had an expression that meant _eat it or else_. Without resisting, Grace pulled the plates closer to her and started to nibble at the biscuit scraps which tasted a bit stale for her to chew down.

"Good girl," Sam said coolly as he turned to walk back to the campfire. "I'll be back with the rest of them."

In a few minutes, Sam came back to feed her three more plates of scraps from their meals and ordered for her to finish up by the time he came back to check on her again. There had not been a scrap of meat on the plates because the bandits had decided to dry the extra meat over the fireplace and save it for the rest of the journey back to Coal Mine Canyon. Seeing as there were no rocks or bushes to hide the scraps, Grace could only chew away as quickly as possible to avoid a terrible punishment from not doing as she was told to do. She hated the scraps, but she realized that if she wanted to make it out of here alive, then she'd have to make the best of this. Grace was barely afraid of these bandits as she used to be, but the chances of never seeing Patch of Heaven again is what worried her.

When Sam came back to find the plates empty, he just took them to rinse at the lake and told her to rest well for a week's walk to their hideout. With that, he walked back to the campfire for some sleep. Grace lay huddled against the tree she was tied to and gazed up at the sky glittered with thousands of stars and the faint glow of the crescent moon. Grace sighed and tried to go to sleep.


	9. A Difficult Journey

**Chapter 9: A Difficult Journey**

Grace waited until the bandits were sound asleep so that it would enable her to drag herself quietly to the river and wash down the dissatisfying taste of those scraps she was forced to consume. After a few more drops, Grace dipped her front bound legs in the stream to clear away the pain searing amidst her ankles. The ropes remained tightly secured, even after being wet, but that hardly mattered to Grace.

"What have they been puttin' in their food all this time?" she muttered, spitting into a bush. "I'll be tastin' that for weeks, depending on how long I'll be forced to put up with it while I'm still here in a place I hardly know about."

She spit the last taste out in the bush and lowered her head into the stream for another cold drink. She drank and drank until her tired and dehydrated body was replenished enough. Yawning, Grace moved further from the stream and dragged herself back to the cypress tree for some sleep. She wasn't going to be allowed to go anyplace tonight like this. It occurred to Grace that the bandits were going to keep her tied down night after night to keep her from running out on them. If not, Miss Stoneheart would be furious to find that they let her escape or killed her without permission. The lady was counting on the gang to lead her safely alive on the way back to Coal Mine Canyon by the time she arrives back from an errand.

"I wonder if there is anyone else who knows of me being held captive," Grace sighed doubtfully. "Oh who am I kidding? I'll never get outta here." Lowering her head down, she fought back the tears as she struggled to get comfortable on the cold, hard ground. If only there was one way to send a message to her family and let them know she was alive, but still a captive. Unless she was walking through a town with a Pony Express rider, there was no other option. It might be a good idea. "Why not give it a try?" Grace perked her head up, wondering why she hadn't thought of it before. These bandits were going to have to stop at a town sooner or later for supplies; because items don't grow in the wilderness. "All I have to do is listen closely to see if any messages go to Chugwater." Clearing her mind, Grace drifted off into a deep slumber. If her family was sick with worry about her disappearance, then she'd have to get a message to them soon. It was the best she could do for now.

* * *

_That morning_

"Get up you runt!" a rough voice demanded as Grace felt a small kick in the back of her head.

Blinking her eyes, she looked up into the face of Sam while he undid the knot around the tree and took out a bowie knife to cut the bonds from her four legs. Grace was relieved to move her legs again, but knew it would still do no good trying to run away in this forest. Her neck was roped with a tight knot and she needed to send a message through the Pony Express. Her little plan was to gather as much information she knew about her captors and explain it all to the mail horse so he'll know what to do.

While the group was breaking up camp, Sam allowed Grace to have a drink from the stream and walked her behind the thickest bush area out of sight from wandering visitors. From there Sam walked out holding the long end of the rope in hand to give the captive some privacy. Where he stood, nobody would be able to hear or see what she was doing. For a while, they waited for her until Sam suddenly gave the rope around her neck a sharp tug. Grace emerged from behind the bush area done with her private time anyway. She had also been flexing her legs to get the circulation in them going, especially after having them tied for two whole days. It felt good to move about unrestrained and without being gagged (as long as she didn't bother to scream or sing). When she came forward, Carl snuck from behind and tied her back ankles with a strong length of rawhide rope from one end to the other so she wouldn't dare kick or gain enough speed to escape their grasp. All Grace did was frown at him as she lay quiet and pretended to act natural. When he was finished, Grace had secretly used her tail to unbuckle his belt while he had been too busy tying her ankles to pay attention and soon found that his pants had dropped to expose his underpants. The gang had burst out laughing uncontrollably until Sam ordered them to move out. Pulling his pants up, Carl whirled around to face Grace staring at the sky and acting like nothing happened. She gave him a look that said "what?" Humiliated enough, he just buckled his belt and went to his horse. Now he was more determined to make this journey as miserable and difficult enough for her as payback. Punishing her now would have been a waste of their time. Grace giggled quietly without any of them noticing.

Mounting their horses, Sam curled the end of the rope attached to Grace's neck in his left palm to shorten the long length. Soon they started out down the trail, nearly dragging Grace behind them. She was able to catch up without uttering a single cry. The sun started to rise an hour after dawn casting a soft glow over the horizon. In her surroundings, nothing was familiar to her in this forest. Grace swallowed hard, knowing she would have to remember a few things here if she wanted to find a way back to the train station somehow.

As Grace was dragged along the dusty trail leading out, she caught a couple more glimpses of beautiful lakes, waterfalls, and cypress trees. Again, she had no choice but to follow her old enemies. She didn't know exactly how far Coal Mine Canyon was, but she remembered that Sam said it would take at least a week to head back there. Where Grace walked, she was already in Texas, far from home and her family.

* * *

_That afternoon in the grassland prairies_

Moving onward past a meadow of phlox, dandelion, and primrose, the clouds turned grey as they gathered in the sky with a rumble. Grace thought she smelled the scent of a rainstorm coming when the wind whipped across her body. If there was a storm on the way, she hoped it wouldn't be powerful enough to create a flood or a twister. She could swim good underneath, but could not hold her breath for too much time. Perhaps the storm would be worse by the time it was dark, but Grace tried not to think about it. How she would have been delighted to be free and walk amongst the flowery meadow to have a sniff at the beautiful flowers. But that wouldn't happen as long as she was roped while one bandit kept an eye on her from behind.

When she saw a bright flash of lightening streak across the heavens, she jumped but kept moving forward. The sound of the crack made gave her an uneasy feeling that something else was coming; perhaps a deadly situation. The feeling made her stomach twist like a knot. In her heart, she felt loneliness overwhelm her; as dark and dreary as the upcoming storm ahead.

As soon as the group traveled eastward over a large grass covered hill, rain lashed by the trees with thunder shaking the earth. The going had been easier for Grace here than it was in the woods with thick trees, despite having each end of the rawhide rope tied to her hind ankles. She could still walk, but not run. However, moving down the hill proved to be rather slippery due to the wet grass moistened with mud sticking to her hooves. Reaching the bottom, Grace could now feel the puddles beneath her rise two inches above her ankles as she was moved along. Then a strong gust of wind blew down directly into her face. Grace tried desperately to ignore the cold rigid drops of rain that fell into her eyes as she struggled to walk in the rising mud puddles. After a while, her entire body was soaked from top to bottom. There was nothing on her to prevent the coldness from seeping in. In this condition, Grace reckoned that she would catch a cold at anytime now.

That was when Grace miscalculated her step somewhere below and slipped into the deep puddle. Lifting her drenched head, she spat out bits of mud that entered her mouth. She didn't even want to know what else was underneath the puddle.

"Come on, get up!" Carl shouted at Grace as she lay in the puddle. It was him that had been watching her from behind throughout the day. "Get up now!"

Grace glanced up at the rest of the bandits who stopped short to see what had happened. Frowning, she didn't want to go anywhere without a fight, even in this stormy weather. For a moment she stayed put in the puddle, refusing to budge. This of course had angered Sam who was growing red in the face.

"Hey bovine, when we say move, that means…MOVE!" he gave the rope around her neck a strong tug that almost choked her. Grace was forced back up on her hooves. "Pull a stunt like that again and we'll be forcin' yah to eat a whole can of beans for the rest of this trip!" He tugged harder on the rope, forcing her to follow again. "Just do as we tell yah and there won't be any further trouble; unless you'd rather prefer a good whipping instead!" Sam chuckled darkly.

Grace snorted sarcastically, sticking out her lower lip as she moved forth. So much for staying still; all for nothing that is. All she did was get herself soaked with water and mud altogether. If she resisted any further, then the bandits would be determined to deal with her rowdy behavior the hard way. And she didn't want to be force-fed a can of beans. Being roped up was bad enough, but getting her old enemies angry would lead them to carry out a torrent of threats. So now she knew better than to disobey them.

"We're gonna have to cross that stream boys!" Sam spoke loudly for his comrades to hear because of the thunderous storm.

The group stopped still before the bank of a wide raging river. The currents looked dangerous to cross, but that didn't stop the bandits from moving their horses along the squishy bottom. They of course managed to push their way forward to shore, but Grace had been slipping on the slimy rocks underneath the mud of the currents. Once she lost her balance and fell deep into the river. When Sam saw her nowhere in sight, he gave the rope a firm tug a moment before Grace popped her head out and sputtered as water entered her mouth and nose. Hard as she tried to move against the currents, it proved to be rather stronger than she was and she was pushed farther from the shore where the other horses stood safely. Irritated, Sam moved his horse backwards as he kept a strong hold of the rope in his hands. Grace popped out again and fought against the raging currents rushing past her. She braced herself against an oncoming swell of water as Sam pulled back on the rope some more. With all her strength, Grace struggled to the shore gasping for air and finally reached where the water had calmed. For a while she paused on the riverbank to catch her breath before another gust of wind increased the cold temperature in her freezing, shivering body.

"Alright, let's keep goin!" Sam ordered as he gestured for his men to move across an open plain straight ahead.

Grace could feel a numbness growing inside her body as she stumbled through the rain. Worse yet, her legs wobbled with each step she took. All through this day, the bandits had been riding without rest and now Grace was starting to feel both tired and hungry. Her vision became a bit blurry when a couple frigid raindrops entered her eyes. It was almost hard for her to tell which way the bandits were now taking her. Walking through the currents had washed away the mud from her hide, but Grace was shivering violently in the chilling sheets of rain falling upon the group.

All through the night, the group moved through more lashing rain. It was then that Sam declared that they should find a place to keep them dry from the storm as fast as possible since night was almost here. In another rushing river area, the gang soon found a small cave that looked possibly abandoned. To make sure of that, Sam sent Gene over with a revolver to investigate whether there were any wild animals hiding inside. Soon enough, the bandit came out to let them know that nothing lived inside so that it was safe to make come in.

The bandits tethered their horses to a tree nearby the cave. The rainstorm had finally passed over when the grey clouds cleared to reveal parts of a starlit sky. Gathered around the campfire inside, the leftover meat had been cooked into a fine stew hot enough to warm their bodies from the cold night. There had been only one can of beans left with five remaining biscuits. That was no problem, now that they were in an area that was closer to a boomtown they had often visited before. As long as each of them acted natural, nobody would suspect a thing. When it comes to being asked questions, they were good pretenders.

Grace had been the only animal to be lying inside the cave with the bandits. Her four legs were tied together again just as she had guessed. She placed her head sideways on the cold concrete ground, facing the wall of the cave with her back turned against the campfire. This had been a terrible day for her. Her hide was now soaked to the skin, her stomach rumbled with hunger, and her body was cold on the inside. The limited amount of warmth from the campfire melted the cold off from her back. Grace thought that as long as she stood stiff, the rest of her body would be warm in no time. Nothing cheered her today, except the memory of causing Carl to expose his underpants. A small proud smile crossed her face when she remembered. It had served him right. In fact, it would serve them all right if she unbuckled their belts altogether in front of a crowd of citizens.

"Any food left for the heifer?" Grace overheard one of the bandits ask one another. She already knew they were referring to their own food. She hadn't had a bite to eat all through the restless day, but she did not want to eat their food.

"Just pour in what ya'll have left onto this plate," Sam's voice replied. Grace could hear the spurs from his boots clank louder every second as he approached her position and scrapped the plate of leftovers beside her face. "When I come back, that plate better be empty." He threatened.

Grace sighed sadly as she struggled to chew away the leftovers while the bandits were having a conversation about continuing their journey through the desert region.


	10. Discovery in the Dresser

**Chapter 10: A Discovery in the Dresser**

"First thing tomorrow mornin', we stop by Sun Valley Town to stock up on supplies, send a message to Miss Stoneheart, and remember to stay cool if suspicious folks such as the lawmen start askin' us questions concernin' the bovine," Sam reminded the gang as he took a lighter to light up a cigarette from his vest pocket. "Although I doubt any simpleton in this state would care so much for a missin' cow, we'll just tell them we're on an important business to send this misbehavin' runt to the meat market for a good price. Then they'll see her as a wild, untamed cow explaining why we had to restrain her so much." Smoke flared out of his mouth like a steam from a chimney as he glanced over his shoulder gazing at Grace. The young heifer appeared to be shuddering from what he believed were the effects of the cold weather from this afternoon. "Heroic bovine indeed, ha!" He scoffed. "Of all the nerve."

Grace bit her lower lip to avoid thinking about spitting this plate of scraps at the bandits as she chewed harder. She had actually been quivering with fury instead of cold as Sam thought she was. First they lied to the rancher about her being hunted game, and now she might as well be known as an untamed animal everywhere she is taken. Lies, lies, Grace couldn't stand to think about what other lies the gang would tell about her next. Then again, maybe not everyone would believe them. That's what she had hoped.

"Careful of what you say," whispered Carl lowly, with a sly smirk. "Wouldn't want to get her all steamed up now would we?" He watched Grace tremble, believing that she might have been thinking of trying to attack them.

_I'm going to pretend I didn't hear what you ruffians said!_ Grace thought angrily as she kept her gaze to the wall on her side. She was trying hard to keep her dignity under control. So she made no reaction to what they said.

That was when Gene interrupted as he spoke to Sam. "I wouldn't think of underestimatin' her too soon now. I reckon that she didn't put up much of a fight cause o' how yah threatened her with that pistol. As long as yah point it at them, the hero can't do nothin' bout it. They're afraid of gettin' blasted."

"True," agreed Sam, nodding his head and taking another puff from the cigarette. "There was however that one fight she tried to put up with us out in the rain."

"Yah mean how she wouldn't move off from the wet ground?" Tom questioned. "That didn't seem like much o' a fight. The lightenin' n' flood musta scared her stiff."

"Well whatever she was tryin' to pull on us, we still gotta take the proper precaution of havin' her tied down each night and by usin' complete force enough to make her feel weary of wantin' to disobey our commands. To break an animal's spirit is how you keep them in a straight line. And it makes the job easier said than done."

Sam rose up and went over to check and see if Grace was done with the plate of scraps. The captive bovine had already fallen asleep by the time when the gang had been talking amongst themselves about her. She just couldn't keep her eyes open, especially not after the scraps left her yawning with fatigue. Her stomach churned as she kept her eyes closed, but Grace ignored the pain to get some sleep. She had hoped it would soon be gone by the crack of dawn. In her dreams, Grace could see her future as being forced into a life of hard work by her old enemies and possibly other bad men of the west. She would slave day and night without pay or thanks. Of course, Grace thought that was a silly thing to think about, knowing that animals had no use for money; except maybe when the time came to save their farm from auction. In Chugwater perhaps, but in this state, there was no such thing as heroic cows and Grace might have been mocked at if she told any folks around here what she and her friends accomplished. Grace sobered in misery and from the pain in her bound ankles, knowing that more unknown events were yet to come. The only food she got to eat was the distasteful scraps from the bandits' meals. And she was still hungry. But her doubt in escape troubled her more than the pain in her stomach and legs. Still, Grace refused to believe that she would never see Patch of Heaven again.

"Hmm," she mumbled, easing her neck left and right. "Where is a small companion when you need him?" But then Grace remembered that she was already grown up and on her own without the help of small companions. "I don't think I'll ever find a small companion in this place tonight, even if I wanted to. But Maggie and Mrs. C were right. My old friends don't want me to be sad about missin' them; they want me to be strong. So I'll have to be. Now I just need to send a message and hope that my friends will hear from it soon. I already know the name of Coal Mine Canyon, but I don't know where exactly. I should pay more attention to their conversations without them knowin' what I'm up to."

With part of her confidence returning, Grace went to sleep. Life isn't always so easy or fair, but her old friends often told her that the important thing was to not give up hope or let difficult times bring you down. No matter how lonely or difficult this situation felt to her, Grace had to keep her faith alive.

* * *

_That morning in Chugwater_

The new singer Miss Shirley was busy admiring her beautiful face in the mirror while powdering her cheeks with rosy blush. She was dressed in a purple, glittering, dancing dress, purple tapping shoes, and a violet hat with black feathers.

"Today I'll sing a song that isn't about life in Texas," Shirley murmured, straightening her hat. "That darn Sheriff Brown is already gettin' mighty nosy lately with askin' me questions bout the robbery or if I'm really a famous singer." Her voice sounded worried as she opened one of the drawers filled with her small black notebook and the newspaper article of the three heroic cows. Only this time, an inked circle had been drawn around the figure of Grace smiling in the photo. Picking up the article, a smirk crossed her red lips as she locked her eyes onto the blond heifer.

"Oh why should I worry bout bein' caught?" she snickered. "After all, I'm still just a young Texas gal lookin' for a job to save my dear ol' papa." She shoved the paper back in the drawer to lock it with a small key. Then Shirley rose from her chair and danced excitedly around the dressing room. As long as she kept those items locked up with everything else, then she would have nothing to fear. "I have other plans to think about when I leave this town, such as findin' a way to get my inheritance."

Unexpectedly, a knock on the door interrupted Shirley out of her daydreaming. "Uh, who is it?" she asked whoever was knocking, trying not to let her voice quiver.

"Someone here bought a bouquet of flowers for yah Miss Shirley," a manly voice spoke from the other side of the door.

"FLOWERS!?" Shirley stiffened in her spot as if an oncoming train was heading straight for her, but she did not lose her composure. "What kind of flowers are they?"

"Garden flowers of course, why?" the voice answered curiously.

"Oh nothin' really," Shirley replied sweetly, remembering to act cool. "I'm just glad that they're not wild flowers, because I'm allergic to those. But I don't mind folks bringin' me the kind that grow in a garden."

"I understand. And I'll let the boys know so they don't make a mistake."

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Patting her dress, Shirley opened the door to allow the man to hand her the bouquet. He wished her luck before walking back out to the audience. She tossed it onto the sofa like a pillow. That was too close for call. For a moment, Shirley thought it might have been Sheriff Brown coming in to ask her the same questions about the day of the robbery. "Blast it, if I shout too much bout my plans out loud, someone might hear and my reputation will be ruined for me. So I gotta say it quietly if I wanna keep my prized heifer safe at home. I already have a much better plan for her rather than take that coat of hers. But I won't say it here now, not while it's time for me to go up."

Taking one last admiring look at her reflection in the mirror, Shirley burst out the door and on stage to sing a different song about the cactus valley. Unbeknownst to her however, two unlikely witnesses had been hiding themselves in the closet while she had been rambling on about her mysterious secret plan. Out popped Rusty and Lucky Jack as they looked surprised from what they overheard the diva say. One thing for sure was that Miss Shirley was involved in this whole scheme and in Grace's sudden disappearance. Rusty had somehow talked Lucky Jack into going with him to Chugwater to spy on Miss Shirley to find out what she was really up to. Buck told him that the rabbit was an expert in sneaking in unexpected places and picking at locks. All they needed was at least one piece of evidence that was most important. Taking everything would stir up suspicion in Shirley if she found out everything was missing and possibly start accusing a few folks of theft. Rusty did not want to take that dangerous risk too soon.

"Did yah hear what she said?" Lucky Jack blurted in bewilderment. "A female crook is in our town distractin' everybody with her singin'."

"Which is why we need to see what's in that notebook," added Rusty seriously. "There has to be somethin' in there that'll help us find out where they've taken that cow."

Hopping upward, Jack grabbed a thin piece of metal from behind one of his ears and started picking at the lock since Shirley had taken the real key with her. After a few struggles, a small click occurred and Jack used his feet to push it open and drop the notebook down to Rusty. He told the rabbit to go to the door and look out for Shirley while he examined the notes:

_**Things to do in Chugwater**_

_Enter the saloon and play the act of a needy woman lookin' to find a job to help her dear dyin' papa. _

_Gather as much information as I can bout the so-called heroic cows from the sleazy cowpokes._

_Blow the audience away with my singin' n' dancin' enough to distract them while the Yeller Gang robs the bank and kidnaps the blond heifer on Patch of Heaven. However they do it, she will be mine._

_Board the 9:00am train back to Texas on Saturday. Ride to Coal Mine Canyon to have a look at my new and valuable prized cow. Then find a way to snatch the will to my uncle's ranch where I hope to raise her for a new life of workin' under the sun._

"Holy smokes, we gotta tell the girls about this right now!"

"What is it, what'd yah find?" Lucky Jack glanced over his shoulder, still standing by the door.

"I found a note that proves Miss Shirley is behind the scheme and tells the exact place where Grace has been taken to."

"Let me see," Jack rushed away from the door to snatch the notes and examine them. The first three options had been checked out. "The Yeller Gang; I ain't ever heard o' those hooligans. But at least we know what name to call them." He flipped over the last blank pages until some other folded squared paper slipped out and landed beside his peg-leg. "What's this?" The moment Jack unfolded the paper; he found it to be a WANTED poster with Miss Shirley's face on the cover smiling sinisterly. The reward for her capture was $1,000. Her real name was Shirley Stoneheart, the Texas bandit queen wanted for bank robberies and cattle rustling.

"We got her, we got her!" Jack jumped for joy.

"Shh, not so loud," Rusty shushed him. "Someone will know we're in here. Besides we ain't got her yet. All we need now is a plan on how to catch her before she leaves."

"Why not try the same technique the girls had once used to capture Slim?" Jack suggested.

"That would work," Rusty agreed, and then continued in detail. "But we would also have to take that full plan and be back here an hour before nine on Saturday. Let's see, Miss Shirley says that she's allergic to wildflowers. But what good would that be against her?"

Lucky Jack then got an unusual idea in his head. "I know, why doncha let me go out n' find some. Then maybe once we got her, we'll take that bundle and show it right in front of her face. If we do that, she'll be beggin' to have it taken away until she reveals the truth to everybody."

"Lucky Jack, you are a real genius!"

Rusty was about to give the peg legged rabbit a high five, but both turned to attention when the echo of footsteps drew closer from the outside. Thinking quick, Lucky Jack tore the informative page out and threw the black notebook into the drawer before hiding back in the closet with Rusty to listen and wait. The doorknob turned and opened as the humming of a woman played in the room.

"Hmm, that's strange," she whispered. "I coulda sworn I locked this drawer up good and tight before I performed." Looking into the drawer, Shirley just shrugged her shoulders believing that she might have forgotten, but she was feeling too proud of her performance to care for even a moment. Everything was still safely stored up the way it was. "From now on, I'm goin' to keep on singin' and pretend that nothin' happened. Who in the right mind would ever suspect dear, sweet Shirley?" she boasted.

"We would," Jack whispered.

"Shh," Rusty whispered back. "Listen."

"I can't wait to get outta this town," Shirley maintained, spraying herself with a pleasant perfume. "Once I'm gone, no one will ever know that it was me who planned this whole scheme out by hirin' the gang to abduct that bovine and to take the money from on stage. With her as my pet, she'll be worth more than what I earned this past week." Adjusting her dress, Shirley walked out.

The two animals barged out of the closet and escaped through the small open window. Racing to the Patch of Heaven farm, they were determined to not let that fraud get away with this.

* * *

_I re-edited this chapter because for some reason, it felt incomplete to me. And I thought there needed to be a better explanation to the discovery._


	11. Sending a Message

**Chapter 11: Sending a message**

"Alright, up with you." Sam kneeled close to Grace and untied her legs so that he would allow her to move up without hesitating. "Now hold still."

Grace stood stiff as she felt her back ankles being tied with the same rawhide rope from one end to the other. Again, she tried no tricks; not even when Sam pulled tighter on the ends to make sure the knots wouldn't loosen up. She flinched in pain as he did this, but still did not move. It was cutting of her circulation. If she wanted to, Grace would have kicked him in the face, but something inside told her it would be a big mistake if she did fight back too soon. When Sam tugged harder on the knot in her left ankle, Grace moaned and shut her eyes tight.

Sam dealt Grace a stinging blow across the face. "Shut up!" Then in a matter of minutes, the gang leader ordered his henchmen to move out after breaking up camp. For a moment, Grace rubbed at her cheek where it stung. She didn't know how much more of this she would be able to take.

Leaving the cave, Grace soon found herself being forced to walk behind the bandits on the outside trail, with a rope attached to her neck. And because of the rain from last night, Grace would sometimes keep slipping in the mud and wet grass. Whenever this happened, she was cursed at before one of them tugged harder at the rope to make her move forward faster. To Grace, hearing their demanding voices was bad enough, but she did not want to find out what kind of punishment they'd give if she didn't cooperate. Whether it meant being whipped or force-fed, she had to obey. They marched on all through the morning without rest.

_How I hate taking orders from these ruffians?_ Grace thought bitterly as she kept following. _If I try to escape now, they're sure to catch up with me. And that edge off the cliff is a death defying leap. I could be killed if I miss. _Evidently, Grace shook her head doubtfully. _Oh it's useless to break outta these ropes. They're so tight, it hurts when I walk._ Grace glanced over her shoulder to gaze over at how the ropes tightened her back ankles. _The longer I walk like this, the more swollen my ankles are sure to become._ Again she shook her head to remember what she was supposed to do.

* * *

_In Sun Valley Town_

"I can't believe they got away!" A plump man wearing a grey three-piece suit and top hat was pacing around in the sheriff's office while listening to the sheriff explain how he and the deputies had missed the Yeller Gang. He had a thick grey mustache and short grey hair. "That's the fifth time. And we ain't got any luck with capturin' Miss Stoneheart. She and her band of unknown men are gonna run everyone o' us outta town if we don't catch'em in time."

"Honestly Mayor Woodstock," Sheriff Frank Hudson began. "Let's not forget what happened when we refused to let her inherit the will to her uncle's ranch." The sheriff had a red short beard and short red hair underneath his golden cowboy hat. His nose was stubby and his skin was tanned.

"I remember," Bill Woodstock admitted and faced the desk in which Frank sat at. "I remember two years ago when you had burst through the doors and held out the missin' jewelry discovered in her bedroom." Bill scratched his bearded chin thoughtfully trying to remember what else happened on that particular day. "And after that, we snatched back the will, locked it up good and tight, and were now determined to throw her behind bars. But she had quickly fled at the scene before anybody made any moves. Riding outta town, Miss Stoneheart shouted to the whole town and vowed that someday she'd be back with a whole band of outlaws and claim that will." Then the mayor of the town went silent for several seconds.

Two years had passed since Shirley Stoneheart fled the town and was believed to continue her life of crime elsewhere. Wherever she fled, no one caught her. The real reason for this was because the mayor and the lawmen of Sun Valley had no clue yet that Shirley is now impersonating a singer to scam towns out of their money. And if she did commit a crime herself as an average bandit, Shirley would bribe officials and witnesses into letting her off the hook easily. The Texas bandit queen had her own way with taking advantage of men who would do anything for a beautiful face, outlaw or not. In the mayor's opinion, criminals like her are likely to be the most dangerous and sneakiest of all if one is not careful.

"Um, should I have the deputies go on patrol out in the valley to keep on lookin' for them thievin' rascals?" Sheriff Hudson asked cautiously.

"Do whatever you can to keep this town on full alert," Woodstock replied calmly, looking at his gold pocket watch. "I have other important businesses to attend to right now. If we ain't seein' them bandits strollin' by, then I'm guessin' that they might be hidin' out somewhere in disguise as usual." The mayor slowly marched to the door, but then he turned to Hudson for one final question. "By the way, what else were those bandits carryin' with them?"

"Just some large animal in a sack with its head pokin' out," Frank replied. "I reckon they've been huntin' game of some sort; a deer probably. And it seemed to be blindfolded and gagged."

"Well I'm not all that worried about a simple critter," Woodstock said lowly. "Anything could happen to this town unexpected. We might lose our jobs, I could lose the election to someone who'd handle the situation more than I, or Miss Stoneheart could return at anytime with more than one band of desperados to get her hands on that will." Taking another look at his pocket watch, he maintained. "And I don't care what it states; Miss Stoneheart is not gettin' that will, no matter what."

"I understand," Frank assured, nodding his head. "I'll make sure it stays locked up at all times."

He watched as the mayor turned and walked out to return to his duties in the city hall building. The sheriff opened the drawer where the will was being kept hidden from Shirley. The name of her uncle was Joseph P. Stoneheart. And it stated that he would leave his ranch and everything to his beloved niece Shirley Stoneheart after he grew too old for ranching. He had already passed on and was buried far away from this town in the cemetery. It had been a sad fact for those that knew him well, but time healed wounds in the end. The only information anyone knew was that Joseph had raised Shirley with two other sisters for a couple long years before they moved out. Shirley, being the youngest of the three had often talked about her dream to becoming the greatest singer in the west. Her uncle wasn't too thrilled with the idea because he believed success and fame would bring her shame and emptiness. He wanted to assure her that everything she needed was at this wealthy ranch where she could sing to guests as long as she desired. But as time passed on, Shirley had attracted a huge crowd at the saloon and earned a lot of money to keep her uncle's ranch from falling to bankruptcy. Then one night, she was caught stealing, jailed, and lost her job. The reason for her crime remained unknown, but that didn't stop Joseph from already planning on letting her inherit the ranch after he passed on. He believed that jail time taught her a lesson and that Shirley would have no reason to steal once she took care of the ranch. Now it remained untouched to this day, yet none of the officials wanted anything to do with handing a will to an outlaw in their town. It might have proved as an act of injustice, just like letting a criminal go free from a serious charge against him.

Frank chuckled lightly before throwing the will back in the drawer to lock it. "Now I can understand why we wouldn't let her have it." He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, life goes on." He went back to his work reluctantly.

* * *

_Outside_

By late afternoon, the Yeller Gang had finally reached Sun Valley Town after a long march in the wooded fields. Their horses were tired, especially Grace whose hind ankles were still bound and now sore from the endless walking. Before entering, the gang moved the horses under the shadows of a barber shop where Sam instructed his henchmen to remove their trench coats and knives to hide them in their traveling bags so that no citizens would recognize them as outlaws. But in case their cover was blown by some nosy witness, they kept their revolvers hidden in their belts.

Grace looked back anxiously at the forested valley in the distance from where she had spent two days as a captive with her old enemies. If her guesses were correct, then it must be a possibility that she and the gang were now many long miles far from the first train station. Turning back to find the trail would be out of the question, especially since Grace was blindfolded during the first couple of hours during departure. But that was the least of her problems. _If my friends were here now, they'd never know where to find me_. Grace worried. _By the time we leave town, it'll be time for me to go on another death march; in the desert. What if I faint?_ Grace stopped short on the road for a moment as her eyes grew wide imagining if something like that were to happen.

"Get over here!" Sam snapped at Grace, pulling on the rope to get her attention. Grace quickly caught up to avoid folks from staring at them. Their lives were just as important as hers. Not only would she have to obey in order to avoid a punishment from the bandits, but Grace didn't want any of the townspeople to get seriously hurt or killed if she did something suspicious enough to have one person running to the sheriff's office. A situation like that is bound to start a ruckus.

_Of course I wanna be rescued._ Grace thought to herself firmly. _But I don't wanna risk anyone gettin' hurt or causin' a panic amongst the folks here. Plus Sun Valley Town is new to me. And there doesn't seem to be that much justice around here._ She listened to the crashing of glass and piano playing inside a saloon as the bandits tied their horses and her to a hitching rail in the front entrance. Doubtfully, Grace scratched her left hind ankle with the other bound ankle when she felt an ache inside. _Oh great, now they've gone inside._ She thought sarcastically. _What if they're discussin' somethin' important that I need to hear?_ Grace turned to the five horses on her left. Their reins were tied on another rail further away from where she was tied. And it looked like they were having a discussion that was not important for her to know about. _Never mind them; I must see if I can get a little closer inside to see where the bandits are._ Grace got down on the ground and cautiously crawled up on the wooded porch like prowling coyote hunting in the night. Inside the saloon, the heifer watched a couple cowpokes and gamblers play poker and drink liquor. To her relief, Grace could see the bandits sitting at a table with bottles of liquor. But the noise level engulfed the saloon and all Grace could make out was their lip movements. _Dang it, I can't hear what they're sayin'._ It looked like Sam was writing something down on a piece of paper while smoking a cigarette. But what could it be?

"HEY NO COWS ALLOWED IN THE SALOON!" A gambler who had spotted Grace from the inside snarled and threw a liquor bottle in her direction which crashed into pieces. "BEAT IT!"

Quickly, Grace stepped back from the entrance looking surprised and startled at the gambler's rowdy behavior. _That was too close for call!_ Grace stood back beside her tied up spot at the rail panting nervously. _OK, that didn't work. Now what should I do? And where is the Pony Express?_ Trying hard not to panic, Grace could feel her mouth run dry when all she could see where folks coming in and out of a few buildings. A few of them looked down at her bound ankles, and then just went on their way as if it were no big deal. If she didn't find a mail rider too soon, then she'd never be able to send her secret message to the Patch of Heaven gang.

At that moment a man riding a bronze horse rode behind her and Grace caught a few words of what he shouted out.

"…got mail from Colorado to deliver here!" Grace swung around to find the rider pull his horse to a stop in front of a post office building. Mounting off the horse, the rider grabbed a brown bag of letters from the saddle of his horse and went inside to drop them off.

With the post office luckily right next to the saloon, Grace took one last glance at the other five horses to make sure they were still talking to each other. She didn't want any of them to see what she was up to. She moved forward where the horse stood fifteen feet away from her until the rope choked at her neck. Moving at least seven or eight feet was as far as she could go. "Pssst, hey you!" Grace whispered high enough to get the horses attention.

The horse turned left to right when he thought he heard a sort of small voice. With her heart hammering, Grace tried again.

"Over here," she added. Finally, the horse turned in her direction when he guessed that Grace was the only one staring at him. "I need to talk to you." Reluctantly, the horse moved from his position to find out what she had that was so important to say.

"Can I help you miss?" he asked in a polite manner which was pleasing for Grace to hear. At least he didn't turn away from her.

"Yes, are you the Pony Express rider?" Grace replied desperately. "Because you see, I was wonderin' if you are able to remember an urgent message that I need to send to a family that's outta state. Do you think…?"

"Wait a minute," the horse interrupted suspiciously. "You ain't tryin' to get me to send another one o' those marketin' scams that cheat folks outta their money ain't yah?"

"Why would I wanna do that?" Grace asked weakly. "I don't even know how that's done. I'm only askin' for you to send an urgent message to my family that I'm being held captive by the Yeller Gang."

The mail horse was then stunned. "The Yeller Gang, here?"

"You've heard of them?"

"If you're a captive, why don't yah try runnin' away?" he advised.

"Because I don't live here," Grace said impatiently, hoping to get to the point. "I was captured and taken from my real home in a town called Chugwater, which is located in the state of Colorado. All I know is that these bandits are plannin' to take me to their hideout somewhere along the Rio Grande." Then Grace was silent in confusion. "At least I think that's where it's at. Oh why can't I remember?"

"Ever heard o' a thing called retracin' your steps?"

"I was _blindfolded_!"

"Oh, pardon my language missy." A surprised look crossed his face.

Grace sighed, regretting her little outburst and spoke calmly. "I'm sorry. This whole trip has been rather rough on me lately. But is there any more mail that is scheduled to be delivered to Colorado today?"

"There should be. I believe the letters are to be delivered from there to Wyoming later on. Now just tell me what I need to know about this urgent message so that I can send it."

Grace cleared her throat hoping to explain everything as detailed with information at her best. First she started off to where the Yeller Gang had captured her behind a barber shop in Chugwater while she and her other two companions Maggie and Mrs. Calloway were investigating a possible bank robbery. Grace also explained how the bandits forced her to march through the prairie lands to begin a week's walk back to their hideout referred to as Coal Mine Canyon. Then carefully, she told the horse that her one true home was Patch of Heaven with a family of farm animals run by Pearl Gesner. There he or some other mail horse will find the sheriff's horse by the name of Buck.

"Hmm, this does sound serious," the horse murmured, unsure if he would be able to remember everything Grace told him. "Although I feel doubtful of sending an unwritten message far outta state, I will do my best to deliver it. And I'll see to it that the next mail horse remembers if I can't make it to Chugwater myself."

"I don't wanna pressure you," Grace said timidly. "But I'm only askin' for this so that they'll know I'm alive and in Texas. But still bein' held captive against my will."

"There's no need to apologize miss," the horse reassured. He understood how Grace was feeling at this moment after what she mentioned. "Yah have a right to tell me instead o' keepin' it a secret. I'm Paul by the way."

"Then I'm Grace. Tell them a cow named Grace sent this message." The heifer almost forgot that she needed to give her name so that her family will know.

Then unexpectedly, Grace grunted in pain when she felt herself being yanked backward by Sam after he took hold of the rope.

"Alright bovine, time to move out," he sneered. "Yah know there ain't no escape from us, now come on." Sam mounted upon his horse and gave the rope another yank which forced Grace to follow behind the rest of the bandits.

Paul watched pitifully when Grace glanced back at him with a sorrowful expression as the bandits were now departing Sun Valley Town with everything they stocked up on. She was telling the truth after all. If that were him being lead away against his will, he'd probably feel the same way. But all he could do for her was to try and send the message as quickly as possible and pass it on. Her life was hanging in the balance.

* * *

**Author's note**: _I apologize for the lack of updates, but I had been going through a rough time dealing with emotional issues for the past four weeks. I'm alright now, so I'd like to thank GoVeg for the reviews. Now I hope to hear from EsmeAmelia and Teentails soon._


	12. The Problem with Bullies

**Chapter 12: The Problem with Bullies**

_Texas Hill County_

It was now well past midnight when the bandits decided to make camp in the rolling hills of Central Texas that contained extensive forests of bur oak trees and ash juniper. Grace was tied to a huge oak tree with her four legs tied together. This night was the same as the first two nights of being held captive. After the bandits ate their meals, they forced Grace to finish off the remaining scraps from the plates as though she were some kind of guard dog. The taste was unsatisfying as always making it almost difficult to swallow. Leaning to get comfortable against the tree, her thoughts kept returning to the Patch of Heaven farm. She thought of the vegetable garden, the bluebonnet field, and the fresh scent of hay. But she thought more about the family there, wondering if they're waiting for her to return safely.

Grace sighed sadly and turned her attention up to the starlit sky. Stars glittered by the thousands with the full moon giving a soft glow down below. She watched as a star shot across the sky. _I wish that I was home safe with my family._ Some time ago, Grace remembered listening to a bedtime story about wishing upon a shooting star. When she was a small calf during her first few days on Patch of Heaven, Grace liked to pretend that she would drift off to an enchanting world from wishing upon a star. Mrs. Calloway told Grace that Pearl once told the family the stars were only up there to guide us. But that never stopped her from imagining. _If I had one wish left, then that would be for someone to find and take me home. I miss my family already._

Closing her eyes tight, her shoulders started to shuffle as tears poured down her cheeks. She felt it was ok to cry when she really needed it. Now was one of those times. What good would it do to keep those feelings locked up inside? At least she understood what it felt like to have everyone who loved you taken away. The freedom Grace experienced on Patch of Heaven with Pearl, Maggie, Mrs. Calloway and the rest of the family had been taken from her; possibly forever. Now she had no one to lean on or to comfort her. What if her friends never find her in the nick of time? And how was she to find her way back home if she didn't know which path to take? Grace did not want to give up hope too soon, but she couldn't help being afraid of what else was going to happen. A heavy sadness spread through her heart when she struggled to fall asleep. She had dreamt that she was running free among the bluebonnet field with the hummingbirds and butterflies. During that time she felt joy, but it soon melted away when she awoke and remembered where she really was.

* * *

_That afternoon_

Today was now the third day of marching out where there would seldom be any towns, houses, or farms. When the first sunlight broke through that morning, Grace was awakening with a start when water had splashed into her face. She was surprised to find that Sam used a gourd and spilled it over her while she was still asleep. It made her angry, but Grace obeyed his harsh demands to stand still while he tied her back ankles in a tight grip, and then forced her to march behind the group. Every moment the patches of green in the forest grew smaller in which Grace guessed that they were probably getting closer to the dry region area. Her legs were starting to hurt from the many long hours of marching for fourteen miles without rest.

"Keep movin' and stop your whimperin'!" Sam hissed over his shoulder when he heard Grace groan after receiving a few scratches across her ankles from thorny bushes sticking out on the trail. This situation made her feel certain that the gang was trying to kill her by exhaustion. It was bad enough taking orders from them and marching endlessly, but she knew better than to refuse to cooperate. "We're bout to make double tracks today," Sam muttered, keeping his attention on the trail up ahead. "So if yah don't wanna fall behind, catch up!" He pulled harder at the rope to her neck to keep her close to the group.

Grace almost lost her balance when this happened, but was able to keep steady. She sighed in frustration and kept her gaze on the ground as she marched along. There was no possible way she'd break out of this anytime soon. Not while she was marching close to the bandits. Now that Sam mentioned they'd be making double tracks, Grace worried that if this went on until nighttime, she would have no strength left to walk. And what would the bandits do to her then?

Finally, an hour after noon, the bandits decided to take a rest by a river area which was best referred to as the Guadalupe River. It was shaded by a few pecan and bald cypress trees along the limestone banks. If the bandits were to make it through this trail, then they'd have to allow their horses to regain their strength from resting. There was enough grass and water from the river for them to feed and drink. Sam assured the gang that this was the perfect time to rest as long as they wanted since it seemed doubtful that any other riders would find them here. Although they had succeeded in hiding themselves securely, Tom was sent to guard the trail to make sure no one was coming. The rest of the gang made good use of their time by counting to see how much money and jewelry was stolen from the bank in Chugwater. They couldn't wait to get back to Coal Mine Canyon and await the return of Miss Stoneheart to find out how well she did with her singing career. When they were finished counting, the gang thought that they needed this time to bathe in the river since the long day made them a bit sweaty and sticky. So they moved over to where the thickest bushes and trees kept them hidden from view. Not even their horses could see them since they were too busy grazing and minding their own business like most average horses.

While they bathed, Grace had also been grazing quietly and thoughtfully as her rope was tied to a strong branch of a cypress tree. There wasn't much for her to do, but at least the bandits were now allowing her to eat her own kind of food instead of scraps. Feeling that this would not last too long, Grace struggled to make the best of this. She couldn't break out of the ropes, she couldn't fight back against her old nemesis (at least not too soon), and it was no use calling for help. After the traveling hours, Grace no longer knew where she was and which path the bandits followed. There seemed to be so many to keep inside her head and remember.

After the bandits came back from bathing, they sat at grassy mound to discuss a few secret plans and watch for any oncoming riders. Grace watched as Tom came riding back to tell them that no riders were following. Still they wanted to rest here a little longer before moving out. When he looked over at her, she quickly turned her head away and pretended that she didn't care by grazing.

When her mouth became dry with thirst, Grace moved over to the river where Sam's horse Fire Bolt had been drinking. What she didn't know was that this new black horse of his was unfriendly, territorial and not quite fond of cows. He didn't pay attention to Grace until he noticed that she was standing close to him while dipping her tongue in the river for a couple of sips.

"Hey you," his rough voice made Grace jump a bit. "What'd yah think you're doin' standin' by me?"

Not knowing what to say, Grace replied. "I'm just tryin' to get a drink like you are." A few small minimal drops soaked her mouth. His tone made her feel slightly nervous.

"If you're thirsty, go stand by your spot and wait till I'm done," he said harshly. And without warning, Fire Bolt head butted his head firmly into her rib cage to push her away from the river and back to her tree. "Horses go before cows." He went back to drinking.

Grace frowned at his ill-mannered behavior. She wanted to march back there and give him a piece of her mind, but that shove proved to her that he was bigger and stronger than she turned out to be. Not only that, but he was Sam's horse which made him just as vile and brutal as the gang leader. At least that's what she believed him to be. To avoid trouble from Fire Bolt and the other horses, Grace could only go back to munching on grass while waiting for him to move from the river. However, fifteen long minutes had passed since she was pushed back and the horse didn't seem like he would be moving anytime soon enough. So she waited another twenty minutes and still nothing happened. Tired of waiting, Grace took a deep breath and took a few slow steps toward Fire Bolt to find out if he would let her drink by asking. Her body was quenching with thirst that she could barely keep under control.

"Excuse me but…" she began nervously.

"Didn't I tell yah to wait by your spot?" he interrupted, his voice low and harsh.

With those last words, Grace swallowed her pride and spoke bravely. "I've been waitin' too long for you to finish. I have every right that you do to eat and drink from this river when I need it. All I wanna do is drink and I can't see any reason here why you and your liberal buddies won't even share!"

The other four horses Champ, Cross Eye, Thunder, and Dash looked over at her in bewilderment. Sam's horse stood silent at the bovine's feisty outburst at him. She might as well keep this up until he would let her drink. Otherwise they'd be driven crazy by her nonstop whining.

Then he smiled strangely. "Alright then, the river is all yours miss." Fire Bolt stepped further from the river like a waiter at a restaurant leading in guests. "Be my guest."

"Really?" Grace seemed speechless at what he said to her. "Thanks." A small smile crossed her face when she dashed forward to the river and lowered her head for a cool fresh sip to replenish her body. Grace had been hungry a lot on this trip, but it was thirst that bothered her the most. _Well whatta yah know. All I had to do was ask politely and he listened. Perhaps I shouldn't be so hard on him next time. And maybe then…_

Suddenly Grace felt something hard push her off the edge of the bank and into the river with a splash. Soon all the other horses were roaring with laughter as they witnessed the bovine drag herself out all soaked from top to bottom. Coughing out water, Grace glanced at the laughing horses and realized that Fire Bolt must have head butted her in the backside while she wasn't looking.

"Oops sorry," he snickered, seeing that his little joke on her worked quite easily. "I thought yah wanted water." He burst out roaring into bits of laughter, turning to the other side to walk away. "When I say wait, you wait!"

_What did he have to do that for?_ Grace thought angrily, watching him walk off. _I was only tryin' to ask politely for water. But what's the big deal gettin' me wet all of a sudden?_

"Lookin' good there missy," Champ jeered as Grace tried to shake the water off her coat. "I must advise yah to do as he says if yah don't wanna end up a wet blanket."

"Whatever," Grace said sarcastically, walking back to her spot by the cypress tree to graze some more. She was already starting to hate these rude, spiteful horses. Now instead of being picked on by a Doberman pinscher, she would be harassed by these guys during each break time for the rest of the journey.

"And try to watch that smart mouth," the liver chesnut horse added. "Nobody likes a smart mouth. Do they boys?" he asked the other three horses and they agreed.

Irritated, Grace tried to ignore their remarks as she concentrated on grazing in the green grass. Her unpleasant mood ruined part of her taste buds which made the grass taste dull and flavorless, but she kept on chewing away. Those horses were not even worth her time. _What do they know about me anyway? Do they have nothing better to do other than make crude remarks of something not even true?_

"Have any o' you boys heard the story of the cow that thought she could jump over the moon?" she heard one of the horses mutter. "I heard she tried climbin' all the way to the top o' the tallest mountain and made a leap for it. But instead ended up rollin' all the way down and landed on her face."

This made the other horses snicker and laugh at the idea that some animal so stupid would be smart enough to believe that she could jump over something that no man could ever reach with his hands. Grace chewed harder on the grass to avoid hollering angrily at them for telling gossip like that about someone. The gentle and sweet heifer seldom lost her temper with anyone, no matter how hard they were on her. Sure she got angry with them, but never cursed or attacked in any way; unless it was in self defense or to be used when fighting bad guys.

"Now what kind of dumb animal would be stupid enough to do a stunt like that?"

"A cow of course, what else?"

"I dunno, but I heard sheep are just as dumb as they are."

"Well I heard that one cow walked out in the desert on her own ignorin' the demands to get back with the other cattle durin' a drive. I don't know what was goin' on in that head o' hers but it turns out that she had no clue bout the dangers of walkin' in the wilderness alone."

Grace then pounded her front right hoof into the ground feeling rage tremble within her. Not only was she trying to keep her anger under control, but she was also fighting back to keep tears from coming out of her eyes. She didn't want the horses to find something else to poke fun at if they saw her doing this. And whether they were gossiping to see if she would suddenly react to them or not, she was going to stand still and pretend that she didn't hear them. Or she could just move far away from them so she wouldn't have to listen. _Yeah that's it; I'll just move to another spot and eat quietly._ Grace liked the idea, and began to move from her tree hoping it would work. _Nothing is gonna keep me from eating alone._

Sticking her snout up in the air, Grace didn't realize that she had bumped into Fire Bolt until she felt an odd bump. "Ugh!" she grunted.

"And where'd yah think you're goin' missy?" he asked with a hard edge in his voice.

"Eating somewhere else away from you boys," Grace replied, trying to act brave. Although she felt slightly nervous standing up to him. "Now let me pass."

The tall horse furrowed his brow sternly which made Grace swallow hard. This was tougher than she thought.

"Um…uh…p…please?" she stuttered, stepping back.

"GO BACK TO YOUR SPOT!" He hollered straight in her face.

"NO!" Grace was now beginning to feel enraged as well as frightened of what might happen if she lost control. But right now she was too angry to think or care about it. She fought her way to get past Fire Bolt as he attempted to hold her back. "LET GO OF ME YOU BIG BRUTE!" That was when she sunk her teeth into his front left forearm causing him to whinny in pain.

This of course had attracted the attention of Sam and the other bandits who were going through a few locations on a map. The gang leader sat up and rushed to check what all the commotion was about. To Sam's surprise, his horse was being brutally attacked by the bovine captive. Then he ordered Carl and Gene to grab hold of the rope to her neck and pull her away from him. Infuriated, Grace still struggled and kicked frantically as the bandits dragged her fifteen feet from her recently tied up spot at the tree. Her knot was untied from the branch when she was stubbornly refusing to cooperate by resisting the bandits urge for her to come forward and get on the ground. Irritated, Sam reached for the revolver in his belt and pointed it deep in the back of her neck.

"Down on the ground bovine," He said evenly. "Now!" he clicked his revolver.

With her heart racing, Grace felt her forehead break into a cold sweat as she fearfully lowered her entire body and kept her gaze on the revolver. Soon she was lying down flat on her stomach with her head rested between her two front legs. At this rate, she knew what was coming to her.

"Here, keep her busy for a moment," Sam handed the revolver to Carl in case Grace didn't stay where she was. Grace watched as Sam went over to where his traveling bag was placed near a silver boulder to search for something. "Where is that thing?" she heard him mutter. "Aha, there it is." With a grim determination in his eyes, Sam came striding back holding a medium black bullwhip in his hand.

_Does Scar Face Sam really expect me to fear him by pretending to be Lewis?_ She thought, though her heart still raced. _He can't obviously hit me that hard. Can he?_ Grace wanted to believe that Sam was not as bad a torturer that Lewis was before. But how could she possibly know if she didn't experience it yet? After all, he did sound serious about giving her a good whipping on the first day of traveling. It didn't matter if the horses started a fight with her, because she would always be the one to take the blame for everything since she was the captive.

"How many did she used to get?" Sam asked his henchmen.

"Thirty I believe," Gene replied eagerly, holding onto the rope.

"Thirty?" Sam blurted, as if a bee stung his face. "She ain't that small no more. Better make it _fifty_."

Grace widened her eyes, terrified of what she heard him say. But she was also afraid to move, especially with seeing Carl holding the revolver. Not wanting to see what was happening; Grace closed her eyes, pressed her teeth against her hoof, and braced herself for the unexpected.

With the bullwhip being held an inch above her lower back, Grace failed to see Sam raise his right hand with the sound of a swoop in the air. Then a lash of fire struck her hide like a burn mark. She winced at this but didn't move or utter a sound. Carl counted each strike when Sam brought the bullwhip down on her. After the tenth blow, Grace jumped in shock and made a small whimper with tears filling inside her closed eyes. Her lower back was now searing like fire, yet she was in too much pain to get up and make a run for it. The fifteenth blow caused the tears to leak down her cheeks severely.

While the blows continued from eighteen to thirty-six, Grace was then wincing with anger instead of shock when she figured that Sam was doing this not only as a punishment, but to make sure this so-called bovine heroine would have no determination to pull any kind of heroic acts under their noses if she really is a hero as the article states. Grace bit harder on her hoof as she imagined what kind of damage the bullwhip was inflicting upon her hide. She wanted this to be over and not have to be given fifty blows. But there was nothing more she could do except wait for it to end. _Stop, it hurts! Please stop hitting me! I'll behave; just don't whip me anymore, please…ouch!_ She pleaded these words inside her head while whimpering from the blows. They would never listen to her if she told them herself, because animals were not allowed to talk to people, except in their own language.

Try as she would to keep from hollering, Grace let it all out after the thirty-seventh blow. The searing pain was becoming unbearable for her to take any longer, but the whipping kept going despite her cries. This was simply unfair and unjust. Why was she the one being punished while the real culprits are probably enjoying themselves back near the river? Of course, she didn't truly know that, but she imagined that happening. She dug her hooves firmly into the ground when Sam whipped her harder at the forty-fifth blow. Something inside told her not to disobey and keep still unless she wanted to worsen the situation. If only Fire Bolt hadn't made her angry enough to have her bite into his leg. It was never too easy standing up to bullies bigger and stronger than her.

By now the bullwhip finally reached fifty and Grace was hurting all over with her head splitting with pain. Her lower back was sprawled with welted cuts in which some areas were oozing with minimal blood. In truth, the cuts were not too deep enough to stay on her for a lifetime like her other past scars, no matter how hard she had been whipped. But they were likely to last for four weeks, or possibly a month and a half. Grace whimpered from the intense pain running throughout her entire body. Her eyes had turned pink from the many tears she cried. A few more leaked out as Grace tried to move when she was forced to rise up on her hooves. She fell back down when a bruise started to sting like crazy. Sam ordered his men to tie her back to the same cypress tree and keep her there until it was time to move out again.

The horses talked of other things that weren't about cows. None of them wanted to have their legs bitten by the angry bovine. But they kept that opinion of her to themselves. Tom and Hickory had just finished with checking the bite mark Grace left on Fire Bolt by wrapping a small bandage around his forearm. The two led him past Grace and gave her disgusted expressions before handing him over to Sam.

Swaying from side to side in agony, Grace felt her courage sink low to fifteen percent. In her opinion, she thought that Sam was indeed a hard hitter, but Lewis was a lot worse than this. Flinching from a stinging cut, she limped over to the river for a quick dip, but found herself to be held back by Carl who forced her where the group waited to continue the journey.

* * *

**_Author's note_**: _This story will be put on hold till either November or January since I'm about to do another HOTR Halloween special. I will also be busy with an animation project for a film festival. So I might only be able to update once or twice a week with my other stories. Sometimes I need time away from one story until I figure out how things should be handled in each chapter. But don't worry; I'll return to this story soon enough. We'll see how things turn out. So maybe, it will give me time to come up with something._


	13. The Comfort of Dreams

**Chapter 13: The Comfort of Dreams**

Later that evening, Grace secretly stepped into a clear running stream without awaking the bandits and their horses as they snoozed around the extinguished campfire. The hours of marching for the rest of the day created a few aches in her legs. Her sore back slowed her down which caused one of the bandits to hit her with a stick to make her move faster. It didn't really hurt that much. Sam thought that she did not need to have her legs tied due to her lack of energy. But her neck remained roped to the branch of a tree. The cool water slowly rose up an inch below her neck after each step she took in the squishy bottom. She flinched briefly when an ounce of water dripped over her cuts and heaved out a deep sigh.

"Why did I let myself lose it like that?" Grace moaned softly, remembering what she did to Sam's horse. Her eyes gleamed with bitter tears, although a small pang of guilt hit her. "I never meant to bite him. Really I didn't." Although Grace was still upset with him for picking on her, perhaps she should have just listened to him when he told her to go back to her spot. "If only I had listened to him. Then I wouldn't have to be dippin' in this darn lake."

The feeling of being scourged wasn't pleasant to handle. Whether her wounds were deep or not, they still needed to be cleansed properly. Pain was written all over her face, recalling one particular memory when she was a calf, the time when she had angered Lewis by accidentally crashing into him while playing with her mouse companion.

Her owner had entered through the gate to check the inside of the fence to make sure nothing was close to breaking off. Of course, he had also been holding a bottle of whisky as he focused on nailing a board. Grace got distracted by watching a vulture soar across the sky and only snapped to attention when Sampson yanked on her hair to warn her of Lewis ahead. Her attention came too late when she was half a foot away from where she skidded to slow her pace down. Lewis was caught by surprise before tumbling down, choking on the whisky, and then tasting dirt on his lips. He rose up trembling with rage and started to chase after Grace, yelling for her to come back. In a panic, the young calf bolted quickly aside the moment he jumped at her like a hunting coyote. She exited out the opened gate and tore around the side of the house where Lewis stayed. Out back, the calf ducked under the back porch, crawling down low. From there, Grace watched Lewis searching frantically in every corner of the yard. When he paused in the center with his eyes narrowing at the porch, Grace froze fearfully wondering if he saw her. But all she heard was the creek his footsteps made as he stepped on the porch and went inside. Had he given up his search for her?

It was now passed twenty minutes when Grace did not see a sign of Lewis anywhere and believed that it was safe for her to come out and find her way back to Sampson at the fence. She did not mean to make him angry with whatever she did, yet why should he have to lose it like that? At a young age, Grace had no clue why her owner suddenly wanted to harm her physically, but she knew it was best to stay hidden to avoid whatever punishment she'd be given until he was gone. She slipped out from underneath the porch and silently crept to where the gate was still open. Just when Grace thought she was near safety, a harsh voice suddenly snapped.

Somehow Lewis had caught her by surprise. Grace yelped when she was yanked back by her tail and then seized by her blond hair. Whimpering, Grace dragged her feet and tried to bite Lewis's hand to slip away as he dragged her over to the shack forcefully. Shutting the doors behind him, Lewis ordered Grace to lean over a rolled down barrel in the corner as he undid his belt. The little calf closed her eyes tight bracing herself for the inevitable. It wasn't the first time that he punished her like this for something she never meant to do. And it wasn't going to be her last for sure. Her entire body stiffened as the belt stung her lower back and she bit back a painful whine. It was complicating to keep still on the barrel the moment when a blast was struck across her back to her right leg. Panting, tears streamed down her cheeks as she was leaning far over the barrel. Grace thought the barrel would roll her over after she winced as the belt struck a blast on her rear followed by another blow. She kept pretending to believe that she could handle all of this no matter how many strikes Lewis was giving her.

_Stop it._ _I'm sorry, it won't happen again!_ Grace pleaded in her mind, struggling to hold still. _Please stop hitting me. I didn't mean anything_. Those words rang repeatedly, yet they were useless to holler out at Lewis. With the belt ripping cries from her mouth, she lost count with how many she had been given. But none of that mattered to her. With her legs growing weak, Grace finally slipped off the barrel and collapsed on the ground panting in exhaustion. Lewis ceased whipping her and forced her to stand up and look him in the eye for him to ramble about how disappointed he was in her for knocking him down viciously while he was working. And because of her behavior, she needed to be taught a lesson so that she'd remember what happens to those who are disobedient. By whipping her, he cruelly told Grace that this was the only way for her to learn how to be good. With nothing more to tell her, Lewis left the shack and locked it as another punishment to keep her in. Grace didn't care about the locked doors; although she wished that she was anywhere but here. If only she were back with her mother instead. She collapsed back on the ground with tears sliding down once more. What if she really did deserve all of this?

Sampson found her huddled in the corner crying in shame and offered as much comfort as he could think of to ease her fears. Seeing her in pain made his tiny heart ache when he knew all along that he could not protect her from the wrath of Lewis. He was too small and wouldn't stand a chance. For the rest of the night, he stayed to tell her that it was over and wouldn't happen again tonight. He made no promises, but his kind words stayed true. In his heart, he admitted that youngsters needed discipline, but unlike most kind parents, Lewis was not doing right with it. His beatings did not teach her anything but fear and pain. If he himself did ever something wrong in his family, he'd be sent in a corner or to his room and wait for his parents to give him a good talking to. This type of punishment inflicted upon Grace was simply unacceptable and led to Grace believing that she deserved it for not paying attention to where she was going. Yet it had taken Sampson a lot of effort to tell her that nobody deserved the treatment she just received. This was enough to help her feel less lonely and heal her broken pride.

"EEEEEEE!" Grace bolted her head upright from the lake when she gasped at the screech of a buzzard echoing far somewhere in the distance. She found that she had still been standing in the water and possibly nearly drifted off into a sleep.

"Oh no, what am I doin'?" Panicking, Grace quickly swam back to shore and stepped out of the lake to shake off her drenched body dry. A snort from one of the bandits urged her to lie against the tree and pretend to be asleep. "I could have drowned like that if I snoozed off. Now I know I must be extra careful if I wanna get outta this place alive." Glancing over her shoulder, her cuts appeared to look clean without staining her coat. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she murmured. "If I must avoid any more of this, I will obey." She rested her head down slowly between her front legs, tears running freely down her sorrowful face. Her mind started flashing images of a certain dream. But it wasn't anything unpleasant from a bad memory. It was fragments of a beautiful image gathering together. The vision appeared to be white at first. Then came faint sounds of birds twittering happily. In the background came a green forest. In the middle stood a cave. Finding out what inhabited there was difficult to make out due to the blurriness. Grace couldn't see anything well, but thought she viewed the figure of a deer nursing her youngling. Only it didn't seem to be a fawn. The youngling was resting by the deer's side yawning and stretching its legs for comfort. It was a small calf with the same blond coat as hers. And the deer was her adoptive mother Orchid.

_Even if this is a dream, I don't ever wanna wake up._ Grace thought dreamily. This dream calmed her pleasantly to be close to someone who deeply cared for her. _Oh Mamma, I miss you already._ She felt a lump forming in her throat fighting hard to keep herself from shedding any more tears. Why must it hurt every time to be reminded of her mother; the one she never knew too well?

Then for some reason, Grace thought that she found herself to be standing outside the cave. The mother deer and the calf were now asleep peacefully. Should she go in there and try to wake them? Nervous, Grace stepped forward quietly without making a sound. If that was Orchid, maybe she would be happy to see her again and find how she had grown to be heroic. But as Grace neared forward, she paused in the middle to feel something hold her back. Something inside told her to step back and leave the cave. _What's wrong with me? Why can't I get close?_ Staring over at the calf and mother, Grace attempted to move forward again, but her feet remained stuck to the ground. Was it this impossible to move in a dream?

"Mamma wake up, it's me Grace!" Grace called out anxiously to the mother deer. But the deer and calf did not stir. "Mamma!" The sleeping figures acted like she wasn't there. Her heart sank in hopelessness. "Mamma." She choked back a sob as tears stung her eyes turning them pink. "I'm sorry Mamma." No matter how hard she struggled to move for a closer look, Grace would never have a chance of seeing her adoptive mother again. This was only a dream. "I love you." Suddenly the deer and calf vanished into thin air, leaving Grace all alone in the cave. Her feet finally broke free from the invisible bonds. afterward. This caused Grace to fume up inside with anger that she did not understand. "Why wouldn't you let me see her?" She shrieked out in midair to whomever she felt might be listening and possibly mocking her in secret. "I don't care if she ain't my real mamma; I just wanted to be with her!" Her only response was dead silence.

Staring hard on the ground, her head sunk slowly as tears formed and trickled down her face before dropping down below like raindrops from the sky. Then she sat her entire body down to bury her face between her front legs so that she would sob quietly. She tried to keep herself from shedding more tears, but they kept falling. It's no wonder the mother deer couldn't hear her call out. The whole thing was nothing more than a figment of her imagination; or an illusion of what has already passed. The pain of missing her mother was overwhelming and unbearable, that she couldn't stop sobbing. But the worst fear growing inside her heart was never seeing her family at Patch of Heaven again. There was no one here in this dream to lift her out of solitude. Maybe it was meant to be this way. She cried until she felt some sort of nuzzle against her shoulder.

"Huh, who's there?" Grace sobbed silently; her voice became raw and weak. She turned her tearstained face behind to find Orchid standing beside with a sweet smile on her face. "Mamma?"

"What are you sorry for?" her voice was gentle and calm. Never did she take her eyes off Grace for a moment. Nor did she stop smiling.

"Is that really you?" Grace asked weakly. She used her front hooves to drag herself a bit closer in front of Orchid.

"Were you expecting someone else?"

Grace became bombarded with negative emotion that she broke down into hysterical crying at Orchid's legs. She couldn't help it. Seeing her adoptive mother was a feeling of both sadness and joy.

"Oh Mamma, I don't wanna be alone in a place I don't know. I miss my family and I miss you terribly. I try not to cry, but it hurts." She choked on a few sobs as Orchid laid herself down beside Grace to rest her head on her back.

"There now dear, just let it all out," Orchid said soothingly, nuzzling her back softly. Grace buried her face in the deer's shoulder, tears soaking her coat. "It's alright to hurt once in a while. It's what makes us all stronger in life. And you're a lot stronger than the folks who've hurt you." After Grace heard this, she slowly started to calm down as her tears grew softer.

"Me, stronger?" Grace murmured. "How am I stronger than them?" Her eyes were now a reddish pink from so much crying.

"You have a good heart," Orchid whispered. "And nothing has ever changed all that. None of their harsh words can shatter who you are, no matter what they say. And no matter what they do to your body, you're still the same. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

Grace gave a slow nod. Orchid was right. Grace might not be strong enough to stand up against Fire Bolt, the horses, or the Yeller Gang all on her own, but the goodness in her heart made her stronger than any other dangerous desperado. But she knew that she still needed to wait a little longer for the right moment to come when she could think of a way to somehow escape. Sometimes a good plan is not always so easy, but it's the right choice and sometimes the only way.

"I guess…I'm sorry I…I let myself…bite that horse," she said, her voice quavering. "And I'm sorry I cried so loud. I never meant…"

"Hush now," Orchid interrupted, nuzzling behind Grace's neck. "You have every right to be upset and angry with those bad folks. Anger is a normal emotion. But remember, it does no good to allow bitterness or hate to consume you whole. Otherwise you'd be killing yourself slowly and painfully. Not only that, but you'd be hurting your friends, family, everyone else who cares about you. Tell me, do you think that's what they would want?"

"No, they wouldn't." Grace felt her confidence in herself returning. With her head now rested over Orchid's left leg, she felt the deer tenderly lick her shoulders and behind the neck. This was a wonderful and relieving moment for her to feel. "But what if I never see them again?"

"Don't say such things. I'm sure they're already thinking of a way to find you, even as we speak." Orchid's gentle words helped to clear Grace of all her negative feelings and allowed her to rest beside. It went on until the dream came to an end by the first light of morning.

* * *

**AN**: _This update is a quick reminder to let some of the readers who like this story know that I have not given up on it. Nor do I intend to. I never leave my stories on a cliffhanger. As I said before; it usually takes time for me to figure out a way on how to continue a story. But I never give up on it._


	14. Caught by Surprise

**Chapter 14: Caught by surprise**

Although the first light of the morning sun shone behind the hills, Grace turned grumpily over to the other side where her body was facing the shadow under the tree. She had hoped the bandits would stay asleep for a few hours more to avoid having to march through the day while her tired body would recover. When the echoes of birds twittered softly from afar, Grace turned back to her memory of Sampson as her eyes closed.

After the belt whipping, Grace curiously asked her little friend if what she did back there to Lewis was wrong. From what he knew so far, Sampson explained that it was indeed wrong to knock folks over for mean reasons; not that she did it on purpose. If she ever did accidentally crash into someone, she'd have to apologize for her error (as long as that someone wasn't human which animals should never speak to.) Even though her punishment was cruel, frightening and harsh, Grace learned that she should never push humans or other small critters over and promised Sampson that she'd try to be careful the next time she played a game with him. But if anyone ever deserved a knock down, Lewis sure did. Yet when it comes to cruel owners like him, she'd have to watch herself if she wanted to avoid real trouble.

"So far I still need to watch myself in this strange place," Grace muttered quietly to herself, eyes still closed. "Still wish the others were here with me though. I mean…not that I want them to be in the same situation." Then she spoke with a little irritation in her tone. "But being a captive doesn't mean I'm completely helpless…right?" With no answer to that question, Grace sighed and continued napping. Her mind was more tired out than she thought it would be. Perhaps she shouldn't push herself too hard on figuring out an escape plan. Otherwise her anxiety level might go over the edge. Yet somehow Grace got the feeling that she would be punished again at anytime for misbehaving or disobedience. Only now it was the bad opinion of the horses she feared to listen to. Now that she had bitten Fire Bolt, who knows if he's already planning on giving her a real kick in the tail during each break time. Why not? He seemed definitely the type of horse to do so. And Grace wouldn't count on a simple apology to save her hide from getting tanned by his brutality or any rude remarks from the other horses. _He wouldn't accept it anyway!_ She thought doubtfully. At these last few restful moments, Grace was debating herself on either choosing to obey harsh demands or sleep in whenever she wanted.

"Wake up you!" a rough voice demanded as Grace was awakened from a light kick behind the head. It was Sam standing beside her fully awake and ready to go. The bandits already stood a few feet away packing up their stuff.

Grace rose up with a start to find that it was now at least thirty or forty minutes passed the first daylight. And the bandits were usually up two hours after sunrise. Shaking her head in protest, Grace groggily sunk her tired body back against the trunk, her eyelids dropping. _Please not now, let me sleep for another hour._ Unable to keep her eyes open, Grace pleaded for more rest until she was fully awake. Why must they move out real soon?

"I said GET UP!" He gave her another kick stronger than the first. Grunting and moaning, Grace kept her eyes shut tight like a child refusing to get up and go to school. Since she barely had enough sleep last night, her tired mind wouldn't allow her to think clearly or remember what events might happen if she didn't listen.

_Leave me alone, I'm tryin' to sleep here._ Again, Grace laid stiff and stubbornly refused to budge. Nothing was going to force her to get up and move. She was dead-beat tired.

This act was soon to be her biggest mistake when a furious, fed-up Sam suddenly took up his bowie knife. In this rough dog eat dog world, any captive would be smart enough to know that it never paid to disobey the enemy since they usually had their own ways of dealing with stubbornness. Unexpectedly, Grace gasped in surprise the moment when she felt Sam's fingers dig into her hair after a quick movement with his left arm. Then she found herself hauled into a standing position on her two front legs while her back legs still lay flat. Her head was bent and held backwards in a tight grip while Grace felt the sharp tip of the bowie knife being pressed against her throat. Unable to break away, the young heifer was overwhelmed with panic as her heart thudded in her chest.

"See this knife I'm holdin'?" Sam threatened, pressing in a bit further. "It means I'm in no mood to be dealin' with your hostile attitude." He spoke in a menacing voice that quickened her pulse as Grace felt Sam's hot breath, wet against her cheek. "Do I have to use extreme force or WOULD YAH RATHER BREATHE YOUR LAST BREATH?!" His grip on her head tightened up enough to keep her from breaking free. "You're pickin' the wrong outlaw to meddle with!" Grace winced when he shouted, but was too scared to moan while the knife still touched her throat. Her muscles locked and all of her strength seemed to die. If she made any sort of false move, Grace knew she'd surely die. "I'm gonna give yah TEN SECONDS to get up off your rump and move…starting now!" Despite the tightness in some of her muscles, Grace was able to move her hind legs and stand slowly as she listened to Sam count. "…three, two, ONE!" In an instant, he released her head and took the knife away. But Grace did not dare to act all heroic after that threat. Her breathing became hard, feeling as though the knife had made one cut, but not deeply. Untying her rope from the tree, Sam moved passed Grace and handed the end of the rope to Carl. "Tie her ankles." He ordered, going over to mount on Fire Bolt.

Grace sighed deeply, staring hard at the ground as she felt her back legs being tied. Regretting her act, she definitely knew better than to disobey the enemy. There was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. She didn't want to take orders from Sam anymore, but she forced herself to snap out of it and obey anyway. She could have been killed by Sam's bowie knife. That was most certainly not her death wish.

"Move out!" Sam gestured as the group began to march forward along the trail. The rope around Grace's neck tugged to bring her forth.

_Whoa, talk about a bad morning wake-up call._ Grace thought in astonishment, still feeling the sharpness on her throat. _He may not be Lewis, but he has an obsession for threatening to kill me. Why won't he just do it and get it over with? _Remembering her mother's advice, she swallowed her pride and did her best to cooperate. In her fatigue, Grace viewed the ground beneath her move slowly and turn more yellow. With a yawn, she struggled to stay awake and keep her half opened eyes focused up in front where the bandits' backs were turned.

"Hey boss," Carl whispered to Sam, riding next to him. "Don't think that lesson you gave taught her a thing."

Sam glanced over his shoulder for a quick look at Grace who marched without even limping. He knew Carl was referring to the newly-made cuts across her back from yesterday. Then he turned his attention back on the trail. "I went easy on her." He snorted lowly. "If I was Lewis, she'd probably be dead. Besides, soon it'll be up to Shirley to handle and take care o' her."

For the rest of the afternoon, the fourth day of marching wasn't much different than the others for Grace. It felt like the same miserable day repeating itself all over again. She was forced to keep up and obey demands to cross dangerous obstacles without any rest. The patches of green and a few acres of forest grew denser and smaller with each passing hour. Wherever Grace turned, the pine and oak trees were disappearing to be replaced with a few cactuses covered in prickly needles. The grass beneath her lost its natural green color and turned to yellow. Once Grace caught a glimpse of her surroundings, she knew that her next trip would likely become a journey in the heated desert. The feeling made her groan with anxiety. She'd never survive taking a walk under the eye of the blazing sun overhead.

_I don't mean to whine or complain, but I don't know how much more traveling I can take._ Grace thought hesitantly, tagging behind the bandits over cracked areas and uneven ground in which she almost tripped over. High above, a vulture flew past her location followed by a second vulture. Shuddering at the sound of their calls, it had given Grace an eerie feeling that maybe an escape plan out in the scorching desert wouldn't be such a bright idea after all. _Ok, so I won't make my escape out in the middle of nowhere. I may be naive, but I'm not crazy enough to take such a risk_._ Or am I?_ She took one last gaze at the flying vultures and could have sworn she saw their expressions as unfriendly, menacing, and hungry.

"Mind your own business bovine!" Sam snapped when he saw that Grace was slowing down due to her distraction by the vultures. He gave the rope to her neck a vicious jerk to keep her moving a bit faster.

Of course, nothing Sam did could ever prevent Grace from looking at more of her surroundings. Ten minutes later, she noticed a few hardwood trees sticking out in front of a huge reddish moss covered canyon. Close beside the trail she was following, a woodpecker had been pecking a hole in the center of an oak tree to make its nest. This was soon followed by another woodpecker doing the same technique a little further off. Their chirping and cackling soon echoed repeatedly right after the holes had been complete.

Grace looked up at the busy woodpecker in curiosity, which suddenly looked at her before she turned her head away and pretended that she didn't really see him. _Oh dear, how rude of me to be staring at somebody behind their back_._ If Mrs. C saw what I did, she'd be scolding me right now._ She thought nervously. _Hopefully he didn't notice the ropes behind my ankles. I wonder if it's true about woodpeckers bein' nothin' more than loud mouth, annoying little pests who talk too much. That's just what I need right now to distract me._

In truth, Grace felt that any kind of companion whether kind, quiet, brash, bossy, or wise cracking would be appreciative at this time. Well, as long as he or she was smart enough to keep quiet during conversations. Otherwise his chattering might get her in trouble, or killed as far she knew.

Without warning, Grace was taken by surprise when a cloud of sand was thrown in front of her face, stinging her eyes and causing her to let out a light sneeze. She wondered who did it.

"Eat my dust bovine," Fire Bolt whispered nastily, giving a small phony smile.

_That creep!_ Trying hard not to lose her temper, Grace wished that she had an idea how to handle him.

* * *

_In Chugwater_

Meanwhile in the dressing room behind the backstage of Annie's Saloon, nobody realized that Shirley had been in a bit of hysteria as she went rummaging through the drawers and closets as if she had lost a precious necklace or bracelet.

"Where is it, it must be around here someplace," Shirley panicked, tossing a few items out of the closet. When the diva discovered that her WANTED poster had somehow gone missing from her black notebook, she became flabbergasted. It was only after this afternoon's performance when she noticed that it wasn't there before she had a chance to write down part of her success. "I know it was in my notebook all this time. It couldn't just slip out n' fly way. Ugh, if I ever find the scoundrel meddlin' with my privacy, I'm gonna wring his skinny little neck and…" Shirley stopped short, taking deep breaths as her shoulders heaved. She noticed that her fists had been curled up in both anger and panic. "Alright now, don't get yourself overheated." She spoke calmly, sitting herself on the sofa. "There ain't no way anyone coulda been in here and found out about my secret." The dressing room was now scattered with other fanciful clothes because of her hysteria. "What a mess," she maintained in disgust. "Better clean it up before Annie sees this." Quickly, she gathered up as many clothes she could carry in an armful to jam them back into the trunk, closet and drawers. With everything spick and span, Shirley had her hands on her hips as she eyed the room suspiciously for anything that might be moving. There is no possible way that the drawer could have unlocked itself.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!! The knocking of the door caused Shirley to jump out of her accusing thoughts. "Miss Shirley, hate to interrupt but you got a letter delivered here."

"Slip it under the door please," she requested in a faked sweet voice. Evidently the envelope was slipped up between her feet. Picking it up, she opened it and read.

_**Miss Shirley,**_

_**The boys and I have already crossed through the town of Sun Valley without gettin' our cover blown. The heifers still safe with us as we now travel toward the valley near the Rio Grande. Turns out she's a bit o' a stubborn gal than I thought she'd be, stubborn but not too brave or smart enough to run off. I reckon we ain't gonna hear your plans for her until you return?**_

_**Scar Face Sam**_

"Perfect!" Shirley shrieked in excitement, tearing the letter to tiny pieces. This was done to prevent anyone from knowing more of her secrets. "Why waste half my own time worryin' over some silly WANTED poster when I still got my heifer? Let's all assume it slipped under the cracks of this darn floor that I'm standin' on." Shirley went to the vanity table to fix her hair as she continued. "Hope Sam remembered my orders on how to deal with her if she acts up." Powdering her face, all Shirley could think about now was how else she would ever get her hands on that will. Perhaps she should think about tricking the mayor into firing the sheriff and his lawmen with a hefty bribe. "Nah, too risky; don't think the mayor would fall for such a trick. Fat fool is much too headstrong and confident to take bribes."

Painting her lips a bright red, Shirley tapped her fingers on the table trying to think of a possible and clever solution to outsmart the mayor so that he'd be out of the way for good. Without him, the lawmen and the entire town may as well be powerless and unlawful without fair leadership. She hated to get herself worked up over these situations, but she'd sure love to imagine seeing the expressions on the lawmen's faces when they are forced to leave town with no other choice.

"Sure I could just take the easier way out by firin' my rifle at'em," she acknowledged, then suddenly remembered the consequences of that ever happening. "But then me and the boys might get caught and that'll likely mark the end o' my singin' career. So I mustn't take any foolish chances...yet." There were two things she knew about the mayor of Sun Valley, he can be easily fooled by disguise and acting. And he did seem to have a small love for money. "How can I use that to my advantage?" she smirked, moving from the table.

Then she began dancing dreamily around the dressing room with a purple feathery scarf held behind her nape. So far none of her plans had ever failed before, and this one wasn't going to either. Just two more days of singing and its back home to Texas where no one will ever find out the truth behind her real identity. The only folks who didn't trust her were the sheriff and his pesky dog companion. But what could they possibly do? If that tubby sheriff still suspects her of being involved with the bank robbery and kidnapping of Grace, then how in the entire west was he ever going to prove her guilt without any proof? The cowpokes who became blinded by her beauty and phony innocence never believed Sheriff Brown when he warned them that Miss Shirley may not be who they thought she was. All the mysterious trouble and change had started ever since her sudden arrival; the robbery, the disappearance of one of the girls, and the evening curfew. He strongly believed that Shirley had to have something to do with it. There was no other explanation. But what was he going to do about it?

"Ha, ha, ha," Shirley laughed wickedly, still twirling about the room. "All those silly lawmen can't even catch a horsefly if it right flew by their heads. I can sneak past them before their eyes catch me on the trail to freedom." Shirley could almost care less about having her identity revealed by at least one witness, unless it happened to her unexpectedly without a backup plan to get her out.

Lost in her fantasized success, a knock at the door suddenly startled Shirley, making her lose her balance and grab hold of the vanity table before she fell.

"Who is it?" She said sharply, forgetting that she was supposed to sound friendly. "Can't ya'll see I'm dancin' in here?"

"Sorry ma'am, but we need yah to come outta the dressin' room for a moment…immediately!" A serious manly voice demanded from the other side of the door.

"What for?"

"Just for us to ask yah one simple question."

"Alright, but this better be worth my time." Without questioning, Shirley turned the knob and opened the door only to be surprised by several men jump out and seize her arms.

"What the devil are yah doin'?" She shouted uneasily. "Get your filthy hands off me!"

"Miss Shirley, you're under arrest!" Sheriff Brown stood before her at the door and held up her WANTED poster.

* * *

**_AN_**: _Finally, an update! Again, sorry for the long wait but like I said before, I never abandon my stories and leave readers on a cliffhanger. It wouldn't feel fair to me or them. Has Shirley finally been caught or will she still find a way to escape quickly? Find out more in the next chapter coming soon._


	15. Going to Texas

**Chapter 15: Going to Texas**

"Under arrest?" Shirley shrieked in outrage, struggling in the lawmen's hold on her. "Yah must be mistaken. That could be any woman's face." But Shirley had the feeling they would not fall for it, even though she knew it was her real face on that poster.

"Oh really," Brown said unconvinced. "Then how come she has the same mark on her face like yours?"

Shirley was silent, trying to think of an answer. "Well…uh…"

"And how'd yah explain the same hair style and dress that yah wore on the first day since your arrival?" he continued firmly.

"Dress?" Shirley's voice stiffened. "My sister once owned quite a collection o' the fanciest…" closing her mouth tight, she said too much.

"That's what I thought, get her outta here boys." Brown ordered, not giving the crook a chance to speak another lie. "And once we lock yah up, perhaps yah could tell us what really happened to Pearl's beloved cow."

Just as the lawmen began to drag her out from the dressing room to the front entrance, the ones holding on to her suddenly yelped when Shirley kicked her heel straight into one's shin and the other heel down on the other's foot. Then she elbowed them in the chest in order to make her getaway.

"If yah want her, just try n' catch me boys!" She dashed through the busy streets hoping to make it back to the hotel and grab her belongings. Nobody paid much attention to her until the sheriff burst out of the saloon.

"SOMEBODY CATCH THAT CROOK!" He pointed out to the diva in the purple dancing dress now entering the hotel. "Comin' through, pardon me, oh excuse me miss." Sheriff Brown and the lawmen pushed their way through the crowd as fast as possible.

"That's it I'm bustin' outta this here town and I'm takin' the money with me!" Shirley faltered, as she stormed into the room to take off the purple dress and back into her traveling clothes. "Like it or not, I ain't stayin' behind any longer to go to jail." She dressed into her blue Victorian style outfit and slipped on her boots. Then she pulled the black feather from her hair and packed up her clothes along with the money in a suitcase. "Now that I'm exposed, I might as well stop actin' and get on the train before I'm through." Throwing her parasol in, Shirley locked it up and placed her hat over her head.

BANG, BANG, BANG!! The door to Shirley's room was now being banged repeatedly meaning that the lawmen were on the other side.

"Sorry boys, but it's time for me to move on!" Shirley said mockingly as she jumped up to the open window with her suitcase carried behind in one hand. Leaping onto the low flat roof, she spotted a pair of clotheslines and grabbed onto a blue sheet.

"There she is!" The lawmen had apparently barged in and poked their heads out through the window. "Stop right there!"

"So long!" Shirley called, as she used the sheet to slide herself over to another roof where the clothesline ended. Then she noticed a stagecoach with the rider unloading a few items from the inside and in front of a general store. Hopping off the roof, Shirley landed on the front seat and snapped the reins in haste.

"HEY!" the rider shouted after witnessing the stagecoach dashing passed him and leaving him and a few other citizens coughing in the trail of dust left behind. "COME BACK HERE!"

"What happened partner?" Sheriff Brown had just appeared next to the outraged rider only to realize that he and the lawmen had rushed outside too late.

"Some vermin is ridin' off with my stagecoach!" The rider pointed to Shirley who was already speeding through the trail out of town.

"Get the horses men," Brown ordered his men before they rushed back to the sheriff's office. "Gotta find out where she's headin'."

"Ha ha, well that takes care o' them simpletons for now," Shirley laughed diabolically, glancing over her shoulder. "Now where was I?"

Snapping the reins, the two horses gathered to speed up at a faster pace. This would give Shirley enough time to make her escape. The diva didn't give a hoot anymore about how that WANTED poster of her image somehow got loose and landed in the hands of the lawmen. All that mattered was that she still had other plans to accomplish. But unbeknownst to Shirley, she never even noticed Lucky Jack creep up behind her holding a small bouquet of poppies and dandelions.

"Huh?" Shirley glanced over after feeling a small tap on her shoulder. "Get'em away from me!" Shrieking in terror, Shirley tried to move away from the wildflowers as the strange rabbit kept coming forward waving them around. "ACHOO!" Her nose began to tickle and turn pink. "Oh no, not right now." She was now in a panic. Releasing the reins, she crawled on top to avoid having the pollen in her face. "Nice rabbit just put down those flowers." But the rabbit only smiled and held the bouquet in front of his face to give the pollen a good hard blow. "ACHOO, ACHOO, ACHOO!" A cloud of particles swirled around Shirley's face causing her to sneeze almost endlessly.

To Jack, it seemed that Shirley was finally read to give in, surrender herself and confess everything. But if she were to do that, he'd have to be ready to push her off this stagecoach and wrestle with her on the ground until the lawmen showed up.

"Alright Miss con artist," Jack grinned, pretending to roll up the fur on his arms as if they were sleeves. "Prepare for…"

He was cut short when the stagecoach wagons had bumped over a boulder embedded in the ground. The force of it was hard enough to send Jack sliding off and rolling back onto the rough ground. Only Shirley was able to hold on by grabbing onto the edge behind. She was still sneezing, but not enough to prevent her from climbing back up on top to continue with her get away. The stagecoach had been steered from the wrong path of the open valley and to the right where the train station was located a few blocks off.

Dusting himself, Lucky Jack felt the ground beneath his only foot rattle softly with the sound of something like thunder. Then he looked behind him to see that a stampede of the lawmen's horses was thundering straight at him. And he was caught in the middle choking on the dust.

"Ack, oof, ah!" Lucky Jack choked as he struggled to keep himself clear from more oncoming hooves.

Soon the thundering eased moments afterward in which the lawmen were still on their way to catch Shirley riding the stagecoach. The dust cloud caused by the stampede was so thick that Lucky Jack could hardly see what happened next. But behind him, he barely noticed or paid attention to Maggie and Mrs. C scrambling forward.

"What happened to you?" Maggie asked, concerned with the way Lucky Jack was teetering and coughing.

"She got away," Jack coughed from the dust. "She got away in the stagecoach headin' for the train station." He rubbed his eyes and managed to stop coughing. Then he stared up confusingly at the two girls. "Wait a minute, how'd you two get here so fast?"

"Never mind that now," Mrs. Calloway impatiently. "We have to catch that train and follow her. Hop on."

Hopping his way up on Mrs. C's back, Lucky Jack clung tightly to the back of her cowbell as the girls began racing after the lawmen on their horses. Noticing the determined look on Maggie's face, he already knew what the girls were thinking about.

"I hope you're not plannin' to do what I think you're doin'," he squinted through the air tickling his eyes. "Cause if yah are, ya'll be needin' my help as well." Lucky Jack was not the type of rabbit to want to miss out on an adventure; especially when it comes to rescuing an important member of the family.

"That's right Jack, we are going to Texas and that's that!" Mrs. C exclaimed. "We can't just stay here and wait any longer. Grace needs us…and fast!"

"Yeah but yah do realize that we're about to be headin' for some place far away than where we're at. I mean that's…"

"Well that's a risk we're going to have to take!" Mrs. Calloway interrupted. "We've waited long enough to hear about what the singer has been up to and now it's all up to us."

"And it was a perfect time for Buck to drop by the farm today," Maggie added hastily. "He says another delivery horse by the name of Paul has seen Grace and asked that he send a message to let us know that she's still alive."

"Is that all?" Lucky Jack furrowed his brow doubtfully.

"Of course not. He also mentioned that Grace says she's being forced to march in the middle of nowhere to a place called Cold Stone Mountain…eh or was it…Cold Heart Valley? I can't remember!" Maggie said confusingly.

"I do believe you mean Coal Mine Canyon as I recall?" Mrs. Calloway corrected sternly. "I'd say that's the name of the bandits' hideout."

"Oh that name," Maggie grinned in embarrassment. If possible, she might have slapped herself silly. "Sorry, my bad."

"Anyway, what we do know is that if we try to follow that woman, we are sure to find Grace," Mrs. C commented. "She saved us before and now it's our turn to save her. It might be dangerous, but we've done it before and we'll do it again; this time to save a friend's life."

At last Maggie and Mrs. C arrived at the busy train station where a lot of passengers were hurrying their way to either step on or off the train. The two girls could barely see a thing above the heads of the crowd. But as Lucky Jack hopped onto Mrs. C's head to peer closely, he thought he spotted a familiar figure in an elegant dress hopping onto a stock cart somewhere in the back. With the feathery hat, cowboy boots, and suitcase, it had to be her.

"There she is girls!" he pointed out. "Con artist at 12:00 steppin' onto a stock cart way in the back there!"

Pushing their way through the busy crowd, the figure had already slid the sliding door closed. But luckily there was another opened stock cart behind in which the girls hopped aboard that one with Lucky Jack. Also in the stock cart was Buck standing in the corner. It seemed that Sheriff Brown decided that the only way to find more information about the bandits and Shirley was to try and track her down. The other deputies were sent back to patrolling the town in case something else happened.

"Well it looks like we're all in this together," Jack suggested.

Soon the train whistled with a hoot preparing for departure. This adventure was about to become the biggest rescue mission of their lives.

* * *

Author's note: _At last an update. I told you I would never abandon a good story. I just needed time to think of something good. And I've also been busy often, but I'm glad to have come back. Most of the times I hate it when a good author leaves a story on a cliff hanger. And I rather not be one of them. Hope you look forward to the next chapter._


	16. Last Day of Marching

**Chapter 16: Last Day of Marching**

Around the time Maggie and Mrs. C decided to hitch a ride on the train to Texas, the bandits decided to rest at another flowing river area nearly a couple hundred miles from their drop off at the train station. Since dawn was approaching, Sam reminded the gang that Coal Mine Canyon was now only about forty miles away as located on the map. They had not even bothered with resting up for nearly the entire day. There was no doubt that it had been a more terrible, frustrating day for Grace. She had fallen asleep while walking mainly due to the effects of her lack of sleep and the warm atmosphere. It wasn't as smoldering out here in the dry areas as she feared it would be, but it was muggy enough to increase her fatigue. Every time she would fall asleep on the trail, she'd be pulled closer to prevent falling behind. If the gang had to stay awake during marching, then so did she.

"What a tiring day it's been," Grace sighed, lying huddled against a boulder. Her rope had been tied to a small but strong cactus. "But at least I can finally get some rest."

Her eyelids closed as if she were in a trance. For now she was much too tired to feel anger or fear. Before then Grace had her mind buzzed with the same fears she felt from the past six days. First there was the flashback of the kidnapping, then finding out her kidnappers were her old enemies, and then being whipped for biting Fire Bolt accidentally. But during the day as everyone was marching, she had overheard Sam whisper to his men that the bullwhip he used to strike her was no stronger than a rawhide or leather whip which had Grace wondering if she might have overreacted or only imagined him scourging severely during the last twenty five lashes. Perhaps it had been that the lashes were enough to awaken the particular memory of Lewis punishing her for the knock down incident. But whatever the reason, she'd rather forget about it since she believed that the bandits had their fun with trying to break her spirit. Still the one true fear that stuck to her was never seeing Patch of Heaven again.

"No, I will get back…somehow," Grace murmured softly in her sleep. Her legs kicked a bit as she tried to rest. How could she sleep when her heart was troubled?

* * *

_That morning_

At the first light of morning, Grace fluttered her eyelids to find that the night had already come and gone. The bandits of course were still asleep along with their horses. Having no desire to go back to sleep, she rose up slowly and walked over to the flowing river for a quick drink since she was thirsty. She hadn't had a drop of fresh water for a while and she kept on drinking. As she did so, Grace never noticed that someone else was already awake and sneaking up behind her like a hunting coyote.

"Huh!" Grace gasped in surprise when something strong and heavy push her entire head into the river. For five seconds she gurgled as air bubbles formed around her face from beneath. Finally she raised her soaked head coughing and hacking out water she inhaled. Turning around, it was Fire Bolt standing behind with a somewhat angry frown making Grace step back nervously. By his expression, anyone could tell that his grudge against her biting his leg hadn't been forgotten. "What'd you do that for?" she snapped.

"Oh nothing much," Fire Bolt responded. "Except didn't I mention that horses go before cows?"

"Sounds like somethin' you'd say," Grace said, trying to hide her fear. "Look, if you want an apology from me, I'm sorry. Really I am. But do you know what I think? I think that maybe you should apologize too." Her tone became angry and confident.

"What'd yah say?" Fire Bolt asked.

"You heard me Fire Bolt," Grace maintained, not hiding her anger. "For a big strong horse like yourself, you should try showing some respect not just to me, but to others as well. Not everything you touch is yours. And maybe if you hadn't been so stuck up and brutal like last time, your ankle might be perfectly fine. Besides maybe you outta try waking up earlier for a drink like I did." Gazing up at Fire Bolt, Grace felt she might have taken her outburst too far as he moved closer to her. "Uh, I mean the river is all yours now." She stammered, losing her anger.

"Yah know what, you're right," he suddenly said calmly.

"What?" Grace stared at him puzzled. She had at least expected him to lose his temper or something.

"I said you're right," he repeated still rather calmly. "I should wake up earlier if I want to do somethin'. Why didn't I think of it before?" He turned away from Grace and continued in a rather strange soft tone. "And what was I thinkin' when I pushed you into the river? I should've realized that yah was only thirsty. It's not like you'd be drinkin' it all in one gulp if I let yah. And there's enough water to last for everyone; not just me. All my life I wanted to show everybody just how strong and tough I was, but now look where that pride has taken me; down the drain." His head sunk low enough as if he were in shame.

For a moment, Grace watched and waited in puzzlement as Fire Bolt stood silent. What was he up to and why did he suddenly turn from bad tempered to calm? Did her words finally work through him this time?

"Bovine," he finally spoke softly.

"What is it?" Grace asked without thinking suspiciously. "And my name is Grace by the way." She started to believe he was talking serious.

"Oh, alright Miss Grace. I just wanna thank yah for helpin' me to open my eyes to all this. There ain't no other critter here in Texas to speak up against me. But I also have one small favor to ask."

"Name it." She wasn't expecting for him to ask her for something other than a thank you phrase. That was when Fire Bolt turned to face her with a non hateful expression which seemed pleasing.

"I'd hate to ask but would yah mind lookin' down on my knee?"

"Huh?" Grace asked, taken aback by his odd request. "I'm sorry what was that?"

"Just look down straight at my knee and tell me if there's a slight bruise beneath," Fire Bolt added, referring to the area where Grace bit him. "That's all I'm askin'."

Grace shrugged. "Well alright…if you say so." What harm could it do for her to look at that bruise for him? Oh well. She moved closer in front of Fire Bolt to lower her head for a good look only to find that the bandage was gone. Perhaps it had not been that serious.

"Do you see anything?" Fire Bolt asked timidly.

"Nope, it doesn't seem too serious," Grace answered, still scanning.

"Try moving closer." Grace did so until her gaze was now an inch close to his knee.

"Still don't see anything."

"I see. Well then, how about…" His knee suddenly moved back swiftly. "…NOW!"

At that last moment, Grace tensed as she stumbled backward and fell from what she believed to be given a good punch in the right eye. Clutching her eye with her hoof, Grace let out a soft moan of pain and didn't bother to rise up. As the ache burned intensely, Grace felt stupid for letting herself trust Fire Bolt when actually he was intending to gain her trust enough for him to give her one. The same thing he did to her at the Guadalupe River the first time. Only this time, it was a black eye. Grace heard the brute horse walk over and soon saw him staring down at her with a menacing expression.

"NOW DO YOU SEE?" he bellowed, placing his hoof firmly on the side of her stomach to prevent her from moving. "See what happens when yah try crossin' my line? It means that the next time you think bout standin' up to me again or sink your teeth into my flesh, your reward will be another black eye. Maybe even a broken bone. Yah like that wouldn't yah?"

The only response from Grace was the same soft moan with her hoof still covering her punched eye. Another surprise came to her when she thought that she tasted a bit of blood on her lower lip. She reckoned it might have been cut after falling backward and close to a tiny sharp rock. If this were any sort of death match, she'd be dead meat. And Fire Bolt would be known as the toughest opponent undefeated.

"WOULDN'T YAH!" Fire Bolt shouted down at her face impatiently waiting for an answer.

"OUCH THAT HURTS!" Grace cringed as she felt the strong hoof from Fire Bolt press down on her rib cage. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again. Just stop, please."

"Fair enough," he sneered. He took his foot off from her and turned to walk over to the river. Glancing over his shoulder, he muttered. "Stay there and don't move. Do that again and I'll have to beat it outta yah. Remember, I'm strong and you're weak."

With no more to say, He went on to drink from the river. Grace flinched as she slowly moved her hoof from her eye. The burning pain felt like a good reminder for her to know who the boss was. Although she couldn't see it, the bruise on her eye swelled up and recently turned a bright purplish color moments after being punched. Wiping away the blood from her lower lip, she gazed over at Fire Bolt still drinking as if it were another ordinary day for him. Her face burned with fury at his actions. I guess this means Fire Bolt doesn't take kindly to reasoning. She thought angrily. He's won this round for now, but this is far from over. And when the time comes, he'll be sorry. All Grace could do was lay down where she had fallen fearing that Fire Bolt would give her worse beatings than this if possible. He was like a cowardly street thug looking to pick a fight with anyone big or small. I need water for my eye. But from what she remembered, horses go before cows. At least that's how Fire Bolt says it to get his way.

"Oh there yah are Fire Bolt," Grace turned her head back to find that it was Sam coming over and passing by her position. "Up early for a drink eh." He patted Fire Bolt on the neck and mounted him. "Come on its time to move out." Then he glanced over at Grace noticing the bruise on her right eye. "And what have you been up to bovine?" he snorted before going where two of the bandits were already on their horses.

Grace felt the side of her head throb in pain next to her black eye. She didn't care what Scar Face Sam said. Rising on all four feet, she walked over to the river to dip half her face in the rushing water. It was all she could do to relieve half the pain from her eye.

"Bring the bovine over and let's get goin'. Got a busy schedule to keep," Sam ordered Carl and Hickory.

"Alright that's enough water for now little lady," Carl ranted, tugging her roped neck to draw her from the river. With her soaked face dripping, Carl secured her by holding the rope long enough to allow Hickory to tie her back ankles again. "Move it!"

And of course, Grace had no choice but to obey as usual. None of the bandits paid that much attention to notice any difference on her face as the group began to move out from their camping spot. Even if they did, nobody would care. She was only their captive. Grace winced as the pain in her black eye throbbed once more, making it a little difficult for her to focus her sight with the other unhurt eye. If there was anything else she learned from this situation, she realized that Fire Bolt sure packs a pretty good punch. But if she did anything else to anger him, Sam, or the rest of the boys, there'd be little chance of her finding all methods of escape.

* * *

_On the train_

"Are we there yet?" Maggie moaned, shuffling in the corner from boredom and exhaustion from having nothing to do in the stock cart other than wait for their destination. It was now in the middle of the afternoon since unbeknownst to them; the bandits were nearing the end of their marching.

"Maggie, do you know how many times you've been asking that same old question?" Mrs. Calloway asked, with a little irritation in her voice.

"Uh let's see well…" Maggie murmured, trying to count with her hooves. "Let me guess, ten?"

"Thirty times you mean," Mrs. Calloway corrected her. "We've only been on this train for what…at least forty hours and you can't for one second come up with a different question to ask."

"Hey I can't help myself," Maggie admitted. "These long hours are driving me insane." She scratched her head hysterically until it was a mess. "What if we're already too late?"

"Grace is alive and you should know better!" Mrs. Calloway snapped. "And I know she wouldn't give up no matter how difficult the situation. We'll find her somehow."

"And if we don't?"

"You take that back!" Mrs. Calloway shrieked.

"Oh stop it you two!" Buck finally stepped in between the two girls, fed up with what he'd been listening to. "I'm just as worried and tired as you all are. Its bad enough being in here for endless hours, yet its worse listening and watching an argument getting out of control. Don't you two even remember why we're riding this train? Don't you still care that there's a friend down in that other state that needs our help? I don't know exactly where she is now, but I doubt she's dead. It's nobody's fault she got captured. How could any of us have known it was some sort of trap waiting for her? But it doesn't matter anymore. Our only hope now is working together to rescue her."

Maggie and Mrs. C stared blankly at Buck then at each other. They had never heard him talk seriously like that before, but this appeared to be the right moment for him to do so. If he had been the same old Buck from before, he might have let them carry on. But he had come to realize in time that turning a discussion into an argument was a waste of time and energy.

"He's right," Mrs. Calloway sighed shamefully. "We shouldn't be arguing over this or that. We need to stay focused on our mission."

Maggie apologized for the way she acted and was forgiven quickly before taking a nap in the corner. Her earlier behavior had been developed from all the stress and exhaustion seeping into her thoughts. And sometimes anxiety can cause folks to say words they don't really mean. Sure she was concerned and feared for Grace's life, but she now felt it was no excuse to doubt Mrs. Calloway's words from the start before arguing.

"Say where's Jack?" Mrs. C asked, almost forgetting that he was in on this mission as well. "Wasn't he with us this morning?"

"He was," Buck replied. "But he said he'd be out doing some investigating. Don't worry; he has his own way of sneaking around without getting caught."

Mrs. Calloway could only nod and gaze out at the moving landscape as the train kept moving. Heaving out a tired sigh, she still couldn't help but have the terrible feeling that Grace may be in deeper trouble than she was before. What if Maggie was right? What if they arrive too late to save her? She shook her head hesitantly to clear those negative thoughts from her mind. Now she was almost close to the point of acting up like Maggie. How can she or anyone else be sure if Grace were dead without any proof? The truth was that none of them could be sure of it. And the discovery of the kidnappers being the Yeller Gang sent a shockwave of emotion through Maggie and Mrs. C when the two remembered the story Grace told them last fall. It had given them a fear of what kind of torture her old enemies could be giving to her now at this point. Mrs. C knew that she shouldn't feel responsible for Grace being captured. But she couldn't help to think that maybe this never would have happened if the two paid closer attention while chasing that robber. And yet all of them were traveling further from home than the first time on their last adventure capturing Slim.

"Hey come on now."

Mrs. Calloway was so preoccupied with guessing Grace's fate, she nearly forgotten that Buck was now beside her.

"We'll find her. I'm sure she's still alive," he assured. "Remember, it's nobody's fault. Even Rusty mentioned it to me." Mrs. C knew he had been mentioning the part where he failed to rescue Grace on the train to Texas. The important thing about that situation was that he tried, instead of doing nothing.

"Thanks Buck," she said softly, still gazing sadly out the moving landscape. "It's just that I'm still having difficulty accepting the fact that our dear Grace has been taken so far from home to a place we're now heading ourselves. Even these hills remind me of our last adventure together."

"But think of all the action we'll be having when we go to rescue her. Just wait and see how those crooks will be cowering down on their knees in the end. Shivering and begging like the cowards they really are."

"I'd be more than glad to see that," Mrs. C laughed, feeling part of her sadness slip away after listening to what Buck told her about looking on the bright side of things. "And if I hear that those crooks have laid a finger on Grace in any way, I will teach them a hardcore lesson they'll never forget." Her tone became confident.

"Did I miss somethin' folks?" a high voice made both Buck and Mrs. C jump unexpectedly. It was only Lucky Jack hopping inside the stock cart from his little investigation trip.

"Jack, were you able to find anything?" Buck asked.

"I did overhear Miss Shirley say that she'd be headin' over to the Rio Grande. Exact place where Grace is bein' taken."

* * *

**AN**: _Sorry for the long delay once again. But I've been working on an animation project that is now near completion. And since I don't know when the next film festival will be held, I will put my animation projects on hold so I can spend a little more time writing. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will upload the next one as soon as possible. I sure don't want to leave readers on a cliff-hanger._


	17. Coal Mine Canyon

**Chapter 17: Coal Mine Canyon**

Grace looked down at her ankles as she walked and thought she saw bright redness beneath the hairs. The rashes had been caused by the many times they had been tied together and felt pretty swollen and achy. She wondered how long it would be until the bandits reached Coal Mine Canyon, because her legs were killing her. The lack of care on her back and black eye seemed to have taken a nasty toll right away. A few of her cuts burned from the sweat seeping in on tiny opened areas. Because her right eye was swelled up and beaten from the hard punch, it was only half-opened and couldn't be shut or opened wide. Despite not having to see too well from it, she had been lucky that the injury would not cause her to go blind in that eye. There was no doubt it was hard enough to see which direction she was being taken to. The vision in it had become blurry hours afterward. Grace sighed sadly, her first black eye. What next?

"Hold up men," Sam pulled his horse to a stop followed by the rest of the gang. The group had recently been walking alongside a flowing creek. "We're nearin' the end o' this journey. So if we wanna bring Miss Shirley's bovine back alive and clean, she'll need a good scrub. Who's up for it?"

There came a moment of silence until the gang turned their heads to Tom who stared dumbfound. He knew this was to be his job as he is always the one doing the dirty work for them.

"Me again?" he groaned. "Why not someone else do it?"

"Cause it's your job, now stop complainin' and get to it!" snapped Sam, handing Tom a big washcloth. "We'll rest here for a while so our horses can recover."

Tom grabbed Grace's rope and dragged her over to the creek while the rest of the gang rested by a big rock. Dipping the washcloth into the creek, he slapped it over her face in which she grimaced and turned as it came close to her bruised eye.

"Hold still you!" Tom snapped, scrubbing over her squinted eye. "This doesn't hurt."

Despite what he said, the way he was scrubbing her was rough and a bit uneasy for her to hold still. He gathered more water and rubbed over her bruised eye. The feeling became more unpleasant for Grace, especially since she couldn't close that eye all the way.

"Stop squirmin' or I'll throw dirt in your other eye!" Tom threatened, pinching her right ear. Grace responded to his threat by finally holding still. It wasn't that she was afraid of being punished. But she'd rather not suffer from blindness while marching. He was already done with her face anyway and scrubbed around her neck.

Grace could only glare down at her refection in the creek as Tom trickled more water all over her back and scrubbed her legs and tail. The young heifer was taken aback to see that her black eye swelled. Frowning at Tom, Grace hated how he was touching her where she didn't want him placing his hands on. And that was her tail. Remembering his threat, she kept still and glared a little more at the creek, pretending that she didn't care.

"Hey Tom!" Sam called out from the rock, fishing into his traveling bags to pull out a long piece of cord and another white cloth. "I just remembered that most o' the cliffs up ahead are quite sensitive to loud racket, so put these over her mouth when you're done cleanin'." The leader of the gang threw the two items over to Tom who caught them in his hands. "Wouldn't wanna risk bein' trapped in a rock avalanche now don't we?"

"Leave it to me," Tom assured, patting Grace dry. "Sorry here missy, just followin' orders."

Grace was taken by surprise the moment when her head was forced up so that Tom could tie the cord around her snout in a fast movement. Then he threw the gag over her mouth and tied it tightly behind her head. Grace never tried to resist since it seemed that nothing would do any good against this. The cord felt tight enough to seep in like tiny needles. Her moaning was muffled by the gag when Tom led her back to the group to move on out. As the bandits rode forward, Grace caught a glimpse of two narrow canyon walls that she guessed might be the passage to where Coal Mine Canyon lies ahead. Then Grace finally understood why Sam wanted her gagged. If she or any of the gang members, including their horses were to make a high racket, then there's a hundred percent chance that rocks from above would come tumbling down and either block the entrance way or have the group killed.

_Now why doesn't Sam have the other horses gagged and not just me_? Grace thought angrily. _Then I wouldn't have to put up with their ranting_. For her it was already difficult enough to obey the enemy whenever she was hurt or felt tired. But the bandits always got their way with her in the end and took joy in giving their captives a hard time. _Maybe these hooligans think it's funny to gag me like this for their own pleasure_. She rolled her eyes sarcastically at the thought, and then decided to just let it go.

By the time the group had passed safely through the narrow canyons, they were approaching a giant mountain like reddish plateau where Grace could hear the hammering of picks, digging, and carts being pulled. Her stomach churned with nervousness as she thought of what kind of work the bandits had in mind for her to do.

"There it is, Coal Mine Canyon!" Sam called out. Grace looked up and her eyes widened. The giant plateau seemed rather sinister and deadly looking as it cast its shadow over the group. It had given Grace an eerie feeling as if she were being led to a witch's castle.

As the group marched closer, Grace saw a couple of men chipping walls and hammering large nails into big rocks which was defined as double-jacking. One man did the hammering while the other held the large nail steady without risking an injury to his hands. With the hole deep enough, it was stuffed with an explosive to be blown apart. The deafening blast caused Grace to jump and shriek softly beneath the gag. Still she kept on marching as the bandits rode proudly up the trail where a few miners stopped working to greet and welcome them back. When one miner asked why Grace was gagged, Sam mentioned that it was to prevent her from creating a high racket for a safe passage through the canyon walls.

_I don't scream that loud_. Grace frowned behind Sam. _I mean, not unless I'm spooked by what I see and hear around me_. Then Grace winced when one miner came to inspect her by giving the side of her face a hard pinch. _Ouch, that hurts_!

"What a mighty purty heifer yah have here," he uttered, giving another pinch which made Grace squint. "Much purtier than all the other Hereford cattle in this state. Miss Shirley will be in for a surprise."

"Careful there partner," Sam warned, glancing over his shoulder. "She can be awfully feisty when spooked. That's why we needed to keep her restrained repeatedly from hurtin' herself and our horses."

"Well I guess that also explains the ropes behind her ankles," the miner eyed her moving hind legs which were still roped. "Say no more." Without another word, he dashed off and went back to his work.

Grace rolled her eyes. _Are these miners blind or just too stupid to try n' help me_? She thought sulkily. Usually the sweet heifer seldom ever felt moody back at home, but for now Grace could care less about how her feelings affected all the workers outside. In other areas, Grace could now see donkeys waiting near carts for the men to shovel as much coal in as possible. When one of them gazed over at her, he had a pitiful expression written all over his face. It made Grace realize that she was not going to be the first and only animal to possibly be working in this mine. She shook her head to snap herself out of her moodiness. _Oh no, those poor mules. Yet here I am feelin' sorry for myself while they're probably workin' to avoid whatever punishment might be given them. Maybe once I try to find a way outta this place, I could talk them into workin' together for an escape_. Forgetting that she was gagged, Grace tried to say hello, but her words were muffled and the donkey could not understand what she had said and was ordered to pull the cart inside the tunnel. _You gotta pull yourself together girl_! Grace scolded herself while witnessing a couple carts moving inside the tunnels into pitch black darkness. _Remember, what you see before you means you're not the only one trapped_.

Grace thoughtfully kept her gaze downcast as she was led inside one of the dark tunnels. Before that, the bandits had to first jump off their horses and hand them over to other miners to be taken to a corral for feeding and grooming. There weren't that many miners inside as there were outside. And none of them cared or bothered the bandits with questions about her restraints since they figured it was none of their business to ask. To Grace, this mine was much similar to Echo Mine only it was inhabited instead of abandoned. Were all these miners outlaws or just decent men only working for money? Perhaps once this Shirley gal shows up, those questions will be answered. It was all she could hope for. For now this tunnel grew longer and a bit darker every passing minute. Not a single miner could be seen or heard from as she kept walking. She reckoned this part of the tunnel would be her prison or something.

"Here we are bovine," Sam said coldly, as they reached the end of the tunnel where a small desk sat on the far left side with a chair next to it. But that wasn't all. At the right end, three metallic shackles were attached to the wall.

It didn't take Grace to long to realize that those shackles were intended for use on her. Unable to contain her fear any longer, Grace pulled back to resist being dragged forward. For some strange reason, this tunnel felt more unnatural than the ones at Slim's hideout. Straining at her rope, Grace slipped and fell on her rump, but kept pulling back. The bandits leaned their weight against the rope altogether.

"Get over here you!" shouted Carl, holding on. "You can't win against us."

Angered and fed up, Sam stomped over to Grace and silenced her with a hard smack on the side of her face.

"Knock it off bovine!" he snarled, seizing the rope to pull her closer and held the bowie knife up an inch between her eyes. "I mean it. Now march over there!"

The evil in his eyes worked through Grace enough as she lowered her head in defeat and allowed the bandits to lead her over to the shackles. No matter how much she wanted to break free and attack, she simply couldn't. The ropes were too tight and too strong. And her back ankles were in too much pain from resisting.

"Careful with those chains now men," Sam advised, as he watched his men force Grace to sit upright steadily as three of them picked up the shackles carefully.

The rope from her neck had been removed as Carl attached the mid shackle there for a replacement. Next Hickory and Tom attached the smaller shackles to her two front ankles. The rawhide ropes that bound her back ankles were cut and the cord and gag were removed from her snout. She had also been kept gagged to prevent any of them from being bitten. And now that their long journey was over, there was no more need to keep it on her. Grace lowered her head and gazed at the hard rock beneath her, refusing to stare at Sam and the gang. She never even noticed him standing before in front of her while the others watched from behind to see the reaction for enjoyment. Sam jammed the tip of his bowie knife under her chin and forced her head up at him.

"Listen to me bovine," he said sharply. "You'll be stayin' in this tunnel until Miss Shirley returns and decides what's to be done with you. Whether it means becomin' her new pet or workin' in the mines, this will be your new home for now. So relax yourself. This narrow tunnel ain't much o' a comfort zone, but you'll be gettin' used to it soon enough. What's the matter, uncomfortable?" he snickered as his gang joined in.

Grace stared up at him with angry eyes and her head burning. She wanted to attack Sam and his smiling goons. But not while Sam held on firmly to his knife, she couldn't. Nor could she move her front ankles forward to bring her hoof down on Sam's foot. The chains to those shackles shook and rattled as she did so. And furrowing her brows made the pain in her black eye burn more. Sure she could reach the knife with her teeth probably, but not without getting her throat cut. Plus Sam was too clever to fall for any of her tricks.

"Don't even try breakin' outta here little lady," Sam taunted, taking the knife away and pointing at her shackles. "Those chains are one hundred percent tough steel." He looked straight up at the ceiling above. "And this tunnel might come crashin' down if yah keep it up." Then he made a demonstration with his arms of rocks tumbling from above with a crushing sound. It made Grace quiver a little. "Sorry we can't stay here n' chat any longer. The boys from above need us. And our job in bringin' you here is done. But don't take it out on us. We're only doing Miss Shirley a favor."

The moment he scratched underneath her chin, Grace angrily attempted to bite at his fingers but missed. She was tired of being harassed and touched by her old enemies in an ill-mannered way.

"Oops careful boys," Sam scoffed, and then joked. "She's a wild one!" He and the gang laughed and jeered as they turned to leave. "Come on, we're out."

As the gang walked back the way they entered, none of them turned to see that Grace kept on glaring at them, eyes flashing with anger and her chest heaving in and out. Although she had only been in this mine for a couple of minutes, she was beginning to hate it already. The miners who had been working outside didn't seem to care if she was bought or stolen, and Grace assumed that they may be just as arrogant and cruel as the Yeller Gang. Of course she could be wrong, but that was only her guess. Throughout the trip, she had been restrained with ropes. And now she was chained to the wall like a prisoner. But the one thing that bothered her more was her stomach growling.

"Well at least I don't have to walk anymore," Grace mumbled sadly, lying down on the hard concrete ground. "This place is so strange. And I hope they send someone down here to bring me some food. I'm starving."

As she lowered her head to rest, hunger kept Grace hoping that at least someone would bring her some grain or hay to eat. But so far an hour passed and nobody showed up.

* * *

**AN**: _At last an update. Sorry for the long wait, but I've been busy with an animation project once more. And my computer time will have to be pushed to evening hours. But the project is almost finished and I'll be back to updating often soon enough._


	18. The Search for Grace Begins

**Chapter 18: The Search for Grace Begins**

Meanwhile back at the train station from where the Yeller Gang hopped off at, the train had slowed down to a stop as the whistle blew. After two days of riding, the doors to the stock cart slid open where the adventurers had been hiding in. Maggie, Buck, Mrs. C, and Lucky Jack poked their heads out to finally have some fresh air.

"Ah there ain't nothin' like the sweet smell o' sunshine to shine down upon your face," Lucky Jack said pleasantly as the light shone on his face.

"Well now that you put it that way, this is actually the first time I ever saw the Texas sun," Maggie replied honestly, covering her face halfway to protect her eyes. "It feels hotter than the one back at home."

"I'll say it does," agreed Mrs. Calloway, using her hat for protection against the rays. "But unless I'm mistaken, this must be where the bandits hopped off taking Grace along."

"What makes you say that?" Maggie asked, still protecting her eyes which were squinted.

"Well the train had been riding nonstop for two days ever since we hitched a ride," Mrs. C explained. "It's more than just a feeling, but something tells me we're not going to find that woman in the busy streets. No, I'd say her hideout is hidden in the most unsuspecting and unexplored areas in the west."

Buck turned to the busy crowd of passengers to keep a sharp eye out for wherever Miss Shirley might be hiding.

"Do yah see anything yet Buck?" Lucky Jack interrupted his concentration out of curiosity.

"Nothing outta the ordinary," Buck responded, peering over the crowd. "All these folks are wearing hats. I can't see which is which."

"But do yah see a blue hat with a red feather?"

The busy streets were apparently filled with many men and women with top hats, cowboy and flower hats worn by woman in elegant silk dresses. Taking one last look at the crowds, there was no sign of a woman with a blue hat. The folks in neat clothing must have been the rich type as he often heard rumors of many rich folks living in Texas.

"Nope, not even a blue hat."

"Dang it," Lucky Jack snapped his fingers with disappointment. "We lost her."

"Wait a minute; didn't you last see her crawling in the very back of the last stock cart?"

"I sure did, let's take a look," Jack suggested, hopping off the cart and over to the last stock cart in the back. "I'm certain that's where I witnessed her hoppin' in. Help me open it."

The gang hopped off the stock cart and rushed to help open the last stock cart at the end. Unfortunately, all they found inside was straw thrown across the floor, and the other slide door left open on the other side with a single red feather lying on the steel floor. That could only mean that the criminal escaped quickly through that door.

"Yep, it seems she's been hiding' in here alright," Lucky Jack hopped to pick up the red feather for examination. "And she forgot her feather." It wasn't too difficult for him to realize that the feather came from Miss Shirley's fancy blue hat. "I'd say we start lookin' out through this way."

However, Buck's ears pricked at the whistling coming from Sheriff Brown a block away from where the group stood. It meant for him to come over, so he had to obey.

"Uh-oh, sorry gang I gotta go," he apologized, trotting toward Sheriff Brown. "But I'll catch up with ya'll later."

Disappointed, the gang watched him ride away with his owner into the streets of town. They had hoped he would accompany him throughout their search for Grace. But because he is the sheriff's horse, perhaps he would somehow find a way to get information in other towns.

"Well it looks like we won't have Buck joining up," Maggie sighed. "How will he know where to find us?"

"I wouldn't worry bout Buck ya'll. He can take care o' himself."

The girls were suddenly surprised by another familiar voice in the hay. Out popped the basset hound Rusty with his head covered in tiny amounts of hay.

"Rusty, how'd you get in here?" Maggie asked in disbelief. "I thought you stayed behind in Chugwater."

"I was actually. But then I jumped behind the wagon Miss Shirley used to escape and thought I could stop her myself. Unfortunately I got knocked out by her kicks against the walls. And when I came to my senses, I hid behind the boxes watchin' her while pretendin' that I'm not listenin'." He shook the hay off his coat. "Didn't see her do much other than brag bout her looks. Then she started writin' somethin' in her notebook that I couldn't see or hear out. I thought bout stoppin' her when she hopped off, but…"

"…you would have been no match?" Mrs. C interrupted. She couldn't blame him for not knowing how to stop her as he nodded in response. "It's alright, but since Buck isn't here, are you able to track her scent?"

"I'm sure I can," he replied, turning to the opening where Shirley made her escape. "Right this way, follow me."

* * *

So Maggie, Mrs. C, and Lucky Jack decided to follow Rusty as he started sniffing parts of the ground next to the train hoping to keep track of Shirley's scent. Fifteen minutes later, the scent went into a forest of flame-colored cypress trees. During their search, Rusty decided to explain that once he witnessed Miss Shirley escape the clutches of the lawmen back in their own hometown, he thought that he could make himself useful by attempting to catch her by surprise and use his bark to bring the master's attention over. As the culprit hopped on the train, he was unaware that the girls had already made up their mind to hop aboard in a different stock cart hoping to catch her as well. It had been too late for him to jump off after being knocked against the wall. Throughout the entire trip, he thought about hiding and waiting for the right moment to strike at her and make a racket loud enough to attract anyone's attention nearby. But as the whistle blew to signal the train's stop, Miss Shirley had already used this moment to escape the moving train so that no passengers would see her. Unbeknownst to her however, the only witness was Rusty.

"I don't think there was anything you could've done Rusty," Maggie said politely, thinking of what the sheriff's hound explained. "At least…not without someone to back you up. Besides, to catch a criminal mastermind requires teamwork and confidence. Now that you're here, we sure could use a hunting dog for the job."

"Then I'll do my best," Rusty said, enlightened with confidence. Personally Rusty believed that if he helped the girls to rescue Grace and bring the criminals to justice, his master would be proud of him. But he would speak no word of that to the gang until later…maybe. Staying at home would have made him feel useless.

Therefore the gang spent half the day wandering in the midst of the forest as Rusty kept his head low to the ground sniffing the grass and dirt. So far nothing out of the ordinary, except the scent of hay, oats, and sawdust coming from a small ranch up ahead. He thrust his nose toward the smell, telling his friends that they might need to go in that direction. If Shirley or the other gang of bandits had been through this path, those horses in the stables needed questioning.

"What is it Rusty?" Maggie asked. "Caught something?"

"I see a ranch over there," answered Rusty. "Come on, maybe we could try askin' those horses some questions."

The other three followed behind him, glad to have found a ranch instead of more trees. Rusty had a good point. But if the horses turned out not to have seen anything, the best they could do was keep on tracking the scent wherever it may lead to.

At last they reached the wooden house surrounded by a fence. From there they halted at the front gate. There was no way one of them would knock on the door and get an answer out whoever owns this ranch.

"I wonder who lives here," Maggie said, furrowing her brow.

"Never mind the owner Maggie," Mrs. C stated seriously. "Let's go talk to those fellows over in the corral."

She pointed over to a couple of horses talking and chatting amongst themselves in which the adventurers did not have a care about. Some were even eating oats out of a trough.

"Are you sure we should talk to them?" Maggie asked doubtfully. "Those boys look like they don't wanna talk."

"We'll never know unless we try," suggested Mrs. C, walking toward the corral. "No use being silent about things."

Maggie could only shrug and follow. Sometimes she hated to butt in on someone else's business, but right now saving Grace and catching Miss Shirley was their business.

"Come on missy, it won't hurt to ask questions and then be on our way," Lucky Jack pranced ahead of her.

Oh well, it wouldn't hurt to pry a little if it meant saving the life of their captured friend. She had to be alive somewhere. Standing on the outside of the corral, Mrs. Calloway cleared her throat before speaking up.

"Excuse me gentlemen," She spoke uneasily, a little nervous by their stares. "Would one of you be willing to answer a few questions we have?"

"Go away, we're busy here," one tawny horse with a black mane and coat said rudely.

"No need to be rude, maybe they need help," another horse with a steel coat, white mane and tail spoke defensively. He decided to turn from his pals and walk over to the girls. "Sorry bout that, my partner ain't in a good mood today. Anyways, what can we do yah for?"

"Me and my friends are searching for our missing friend," answered Mrs. Calloway politely. "She was kidnapped back in our town by five bandits who call themselves the Yeller Gang. Have you seen anyone like them recently?"

The other horses nearly choked on their food and stared at her as if she had bugs crawling all over her.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" she stared up at her own forehead.

"The Yeller Gang? We heard o' those varmints," the rude tawny horse named Sapphire spoke incredulously. "And we heard rumors that they escaped from jail several months ago. If it's them you're lookin' for, I'm afraid you're outta luck. The Yeller Gang's far too clever to get caught."

"We don't care how clever they are with hiding," Mrs. Calloway asserted. "Our poor friend is in trouble. She needs our help and we're all she's got. Now can you please tell us if you remember seeing five men pass through here days ago?"

"Ok, ok, let me think for a moment here," the steel coated horse murmured, thinking quickly on what he did remember for the past six days. "Hmm, what does your missin' friend look like again?"

"She's a blond heifer with a gold patch on her back," Maggie elaborated. "And she sings rather off-key I must warn you." Then she whispered to the horses. "We keep that to ourselves."

"If you please Maggie, he was talking to me" Mrs. C nagged before continuing. "Since my friend here already described her looks, can you tell us if you've seen a heifer like her walking with five men?"

"Hmm, I think I remember something," he tapped his hoof on the ground repeatedly as he kept thinking for several seconds. Just as the gang was about to go on their way, he finally spoke. "Wait…I remember now."

"What is it?" Maggie asked, high hopes filling her.

"Six days ago, a stranger walked up to this ranch and bought five horses from this here corral. One o' my pals told me he saw the other four men holdin' onto an animal in a large sack, blind folded and gagged I believe. I thought he was jokin' until I saw it myself. Poor thing; didn't know what to do other than watch'em ride away."

"Was her head blond?" Rusty asked to make sure.

"Yes, I'm sure it was," the horse answered. "That's all I know so far. I was unable to take a look at the men's faces."

"I don't think we'll need a facial description for now," Lucky Jack assured. "We'll take it from here. Thanks for the help though." The four were just about to leave until the friendly horse called out to them, wanting to give them a warning.

"Wait, before you leave, I wanna give ya'll a warnin' bout the five horses those men bought."

"We're listening," said Mrs. C, interested to hear.

"If yah ever catch up on those varmints, be careful o' their new horses. Those boys are despicable, mean, nasty, bullies. Especially Fire Bolt. He's the meanest o' them all. In fact, me n' the boys here were glad to see the master had gotten rid o' them. Those thugs were lookin' to pick a fight with anyone for no reason and thought they were better than the rest o' us. But Fire Bolt was the worst. Always pushin', shovin', and givin' us bruises to show us whose boss. His only responses to us were a punch in the eye and the stomach. That black stallion was much too strong to fight back. If I were you, I'd think twice before fightin' with him."

"Is that so huh," Maggie said roughly, feeling the need to face this horse, despite what she had been warned about. "If this horse you're speaking of thinks he has every right to be picking on our friend, he's clearly mistaken. Just wait till I meet him."

Without warning, Maggie dashed by her friends and fled into the woods with the others following behind, shouting for her to wait up. The stable horses stared blankly as they watched the group disappear behind the cypress trees before going back to chatting. Whatever else those four were up to was none of their concern.

**AN**: _Hello, yes I know it's been a long time since I updated, but I'm back. And this update is to prove that I'm not giving up on this story nor do I plan to abandon it. I would hate to leave my stories on a cliff-hanger. Good ideas are hard to think of, but I won't let that stop me from writing. The next chapter will probably focuse on Buck questioning a few in Sun Valley Town, but also on Shirley making back to Coal Mine Canyon._


	19. Sun Valley Town

**Chapter 19: Sun Valley Town**

While the girls were exploring in the forest with the rabbit and the dog, Sheriff Brown rode Buck on a different trail that bypassed the route the bandits had taken days ago. But the sheriff did not know of that route. If he did, he would have gotten himself lost. It had been a couple of years since he last visited this place during businesses and had forgotten his way around the forests and canyons. Only the signs posted into the ground could point which direction to take and he followed them. He followed the arrow pointing to Sun Valley Town thinking he might get some answers from the sheriff and his deputies.

"Come on Buck, let's ride this way," he said to Buck, steering him to the right of the forked path.

For Buck, he couldn't wait to reach the town on the posted sign and rest his already tired legs. But a break wasn't the only thing on his mind. He was determined to meet this Paul who sent the message that Grace had secretly given to him. All he wanted to know was where Paul had last seen Grace and which path the bandits might have taken. The best he could do for now was stay with Sheriff Brown until further notice. It would be unwise of him to just take off in the distance without knowing where to go first.

The right path they took continued along a river with a few cypress trees, log houses, and ranches with horses and longhorns. First Sheriff Brown had to question a few of the neighbors if they had seen a woman in a blue dress and hat pass this direction. So far, the answer was no as he predicted. His only concern now was to visit the sheriff at Sun Valley Town.

When he and Buck finally arrived in the town, the streets paved with passing citizens going about on their daily activities while minding their own business. And none of them had minded Sheriff Brown walk by as some of them let him pass.

"Pardon me; do any o' you know where I can find the sheriff?" He asked as he rode on by.

"Its right over there partner," one friendly passing cowpoke pointed to a small building with a star symbol above.

"Thanks." Sheriff Brown waved a sign of thanks and rode forward.

At least most of the folks here were friendly. Yet the townsfolk thought of him as a deputy who worked along the sheriff of this town. So they didn't know or cared whether he was out of town or not.

"Wait here Buck," Sheriff Brown tied Buck's reins to a hitching rail in the front of the sheriff's office. "I gotta have a talk with the sheriff. This won't take too long." He left Buck outside as he entered the office.

"Great, now how do I find Paul?" Buck groaned. He hated to sound impatient, but he urgently needed to speak with this horse. He looked to the left and the right to find him. It seemed that everywhere in town, horses were all over the streets. But then he recalled Paul being bronze colored with a pale yellow mane and tail. "Hmm, look for the horse with the bronze coat at the post office." He reminded himself as he kept gazing.

"Good boy Paul," a cowpoke patted a bronze horse with a yellow mane and tail standing not too far away from Buck. "Wait right here."

Once Buck heard this name, he then realized that the horse was standing in front of the post office right next to the sheriff's office the whole time to his left. He laughed himself silly when he did not pay close attention to the signs on the buildings. Shaking his head clearly, he understood that now was not the time to think about laughing when there was a job to do. So thinking quickly, Buck cleared his throat before whispering to the mail horse without feeling nervous.

"Howdy there partner," he greeted, walking behind him. He saw that the bronze horse was a bit startled, but quickly regained his balance as he turned to face Buck.

"Ugh, yes can I help you?" he asked.

"Pardon me for asking, but is your name Paul?"

"Huh, how'd yah know my names Paul?" the mail horse asked in disbelief.

"Oh good, cause yah see I just received a message back in my hometown from a bovine who goes by the name of Grace," Buck answered, detailing the description. "My names Buck by the way, and I need to know if…"

"…if I've seen a blond heifer named Grace?" Paul finished for him, testing Buck to see if that was what he wanted to hear. With that, Buck nodded his head. "As a matter o' fact, I do remember her. And I can recall her tellin' me that she was captured in her hometown by the Yeller Gang. And she strongly asked that I sent an urgent message to let her friends know that she was alive and in Texas, but that the bandits were takin' her to a place called Coal Mine Canyon."

"Coal Mine Canyon?" Buck pretended to sound startled, but deep down he wanted to track down those criminals and give them a good butt-kicking. However, he allowed Paul to continue.

"Exactly; that's all she told me partner. Didn't mention anything bout which area the bandits' hideout might be located." He let out a soft sigh. "Wish I coulda done somethin' to help her out, but what could I do? I'm just a delivery horse."

"Well so am I Paul, but I didn't let that stop me from being the hero I always dreamed of," Buck alleged. "I even helped the girls to fight off Slim's henchmen and save their farm."

"Oh did you?" Paul asked with growing interest. "Care to tell me how it all happened?"

"Alright, since I don't know how long I'll be here, I might as well tell yah everything." Even though there were still a few important questions to ask Paul, Buck thought it wouldn't hurt to at least do his best on making a long story short. Perhaps he would see that Grace and her friends were more than just simple dairy cows as he believed Grace to be.

* * *

_Inside the sheriff's office_

"Hmm, yep she's the one alright," Sheriff Hudson studied the old WANTED poster of Shirley Stoneheart and torn out newspaper page article that Brown had given him to look at. "We've been tryin' to capture this gal for nearly two years. After refusin' to hand the will to her uncle's ranch, she purty much went ballistic and made a run for it. She said she'd be back someday to reclaim the will, but it's been so long now. And we weren't so sure if she meant it or was only bluffin' at that point to make her escape. But what were you're men gonna do with her after she was caught?"

"We were gonna wire your office to let yah know we got her in the jail," replied Brown. "But I guess we sorta underestimated her moves, so that's when I decided to follow her on the train all the way here."

"If you're ever plannin' on followin' her alone, I'd think again," Frank warned. "No other lawmen in our town can take on a dangerous outlaw and her henchmen alone."

"I know that," admitted Brown, nodding his head. "That's also why I came here. Cause I assumed that you'd know more bout her than I do. Look I know what goes on in your town ain't any o' my business, but the day this woman moved into our town in Colorado, a bank robbery took place by five bandits who call themselves the Yeller Gang. And they've stolen a cow that belongs to my friend."

"The Yeller Gang?" Frank was stunned. "Now we're getting somewhere. One o' my buds who works in another town far away from here claims that he once witnessed five men hop outta a stagecoach and walk into a bank with revolvers. There was shouting and crashing inside, yet most o' the hostages were too afraid o' standin' up to them. But before the robbery, he first saw a purty lady step out wearin' nice fancy clothin'. He couldn't make out what she told the men, but with what you've shown me, I'd never thought she'd be in cahoots with those ruffians."

"So will you allow me to join you on this hunt?"

"Sure, why not. The rest o' your clues might help us find out where she's hidin'."

Frank stared down at the newspaper article detailing the robbery in Chugwater, the torn out page from Shirley's journal given to Sam by Rusty, and the old WANTED poster. Now that Sheriff Brown had handed him proof of the Yeller Gang working alongside Miss Shirley, Frank told him that the most challenging part of this case would be to find a way to bring these crooks to justice. If the lawmen of this town were to ever bring back Shirley alive, it would have to be by wiring the marshal from other towns, report suspicious activity, following the culprit in secret by going undercover or just keep on riding through the wilderness until you find something. It was the best that the lawmen could do which Sheriff Brown understood. He and his men couldn't do anything until one of them found some kind of evidence. And even if they found out where Shirley's hideout was, the other thing they needed was a plan on leading her outside.

"So partner, what else can yah tell me bout these heroic cows?" Frank asked, after a minute of silence while looking into the evidence.

When Sheriff Brown had first mentioned the girls being heroes for the capture of Alameda Slim, Frank Hudson couldn't help but laugh. Although he didn't mean to act disrespectful or obnoxious, he had never in his life heard of a trio of ordinary bovines walking out to capture one of the meanest cattle rustlers in the west. A rustler who stole herds of cattle with his yodeling was one thing, but the hero cows still didn't convince him. Then he finally stopped laughing when Brown reluctantly showed him the evidence from Shirley without losing his cool. The sheriff of Chugwater supposed that this sheriff of Sun Valley would need to see it to believe it as proof. Now Sheriff Brown almost wished he would have brought the old newspaper article of the capture with him. Yet it would take more than a newspaper article to show what was true. But he decided to let it go and try to explain as best as he can from the beginning.

"Alright, I'll tell yah," Brown sighed, sitting on a chair at the other side of Hudson's desk. "But it would probably take more than a simple story to convince what's true."

If he were to spend more than one week in this town way out of state from his own, he might as well make the best of it. And maybe he might be able to get a room at the hotel. So he decided to tell Sheriff Hudson what he only knew and saw on that particular day.

**AN**: _Here is another update. this chapter may not be as long or exciting as the other ones. And don't worry, I will get back to Grace on the next upcoming chapter and reveal more of Shirley's plot. You're probably wondering how she might be taking this captivity situation._


	20. Shirley's New Plot

**Chapter 20: Shirley's New Plot**

By the time night at the mines fell, Grace whimpered softly in her sleep. It had been a terrible day for her throughout this point. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breath quickened frantically. At the pain in her stomach from hunger, she gave a weak cry that would've likely given any kind person pity on her. Why couldn't anyone in this blasted mine bring her food? For the thirtieth time, Grace wished that she could've cried out to bring anyone's attention to come and feed her. But part of her was afraid to do so in fear of a harsh punishment. Another part of her felt ashamed to beg, unless one of the working donkeys was hungrier than she was. She didn't want to eat everything. She only wanted enough to fill her aching stomach. All through the day, not a single worker came down with food. And Grace had started to wonder if this was how the bandits planned on tormenting her…with starvation.

_If I wasn't chained to the wall like this, I could go out and find something to eat_. Grace thought sadly, struggling to sleep. _But what's there to eat in the desert_?

When night also fell, most of the workers were allowed to go home and come back in the morning. Some of them had slept in shacks a block away from the mine. That was all Grace heard about as she was pacing down in the tunnel suffering from hunger.

_Wait, there was that one miner who saw me and threw a piece of bread at me_. Grace recalled the memory of one of the workers who entered, but not carrying a bucket of food as Grace hoped. Instead, all he did was tell her to be quiet with the chains or else she would get no food at all. The only food he held was half a loaf of bread he had eaten recently and decided to jeer at her with it before throwing. He thought that if it was what she wanted, maybe it would keep her quiet. It wasn't something Grace had in mind, but it was still food. But being hungry, she had wolfed it down greedily in one bite. The bread wasn't that good, yet she reckoned it was all she would get for today. Her stomach had been so weak from hunger that she didn't care if it was human food, even though it wasn't enough.

Grace twitched and moaned as her bad dream continued. "Maggie, Mrs. Calloway, don't leave me. Come back."

Despite the bad dream, Grace finally succumbed to sleep. Scar Face Sam was right about these shackles being one hundred percent tough steel. The harder she tugged on them, the tighter it felt on her neck and front ankles. And the one attached to her neck seemed to tighten her air cords. Somehow those miners up there would have to let her out of these restraints sooner or later.

* * *

_Next morning_

The constant nailing, hammering, and chatting of workers from above woke Grace. She had been dreaming about escaping from the mines with her friends who had come to her rescue. She was glad to be with them. Only then did her eyes open to find that she was still imprisoned down in this tunnel, sadness sweeping through her heart.

_I feel so lonely trapped here_. Grace sighed sadly. _And I don't like being chained to the wall one bit_. She tugged on her left shackle which rattled. _I must have patience. All I can do for now is stay here and sleep until I hear someone coming for me. And if it's Shirley, I demand to know what she wants with me_. Her thoughts grew angry. Why couldn't this bandit queen just choose some other cow to take and leave her in peace? What did she have that no other cattle did? All those questions in her mind were about to be answered as Grace listened closely to an unfamiliar voice from above.

"Has my newly prized possession been waitin' for me down in the tunnel where I wanted her to be?"

The new voice sounded womanly with no compassion or kindness in it.

"Yep, we chained her up just like you asked. Not that it's any o' my business, but what does she have that interest you again?"

"I'll explain all that later. I've waited long enough to ride back home and have a look at this lovely bovine I've wanted to get my hands on."

Soon Grace heard footsteps coming from the opening of the tunnel. It must have been first voice she overheard. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked up in fear as a shadow formed on the wall growing from small to large with every step coming closer. Shivering nervously, Grace hid her face between her front legs listening to her chains clatter softly. She did not desire to look at the face of this person coming down for her. The feeling was uncomfortable and unwelcome. And when the footsteps stopped, the womanly voice ordered her.

"Open your eyes my dear."

At first Grace refused, but only by having a foot kick her front legs aside did she finally give in to the demand.

"I said open your eyes and stand, or else."

Rather than cover her face again, Grace opened her eyes to see a pair of brown cowboy boots standing no more than an inch from her face. She obediently got up on her front legs that quivered from the lack of food. Finally standing on all fours, Grace saw no use in fighting and saw a beautiful woman standing in front of her with both arms across her chest smiling sinisterly. Her brown hair was tied in a bun and she wore a lovely blue Victorian style outfit with the skirt that went down to her knees. She held a riding crop in one of her black gloved hands. Staring nervously, Grace saw that this woman's sea green eyes were full of a cold, fearless pride as they fixed down at her own. She tried backing away in fear, but could go no further as her rear touched the stone wall. The woman was still standing close to her. Her heart beating fast, she wondered if this woman was the one that the Yeller Gang had been talking about the whole time.

"So you're the so-called hero cow everyone keeps talkin' about right?" the woman spoke sarcastically. "Funny, I thought you'd be more…how should I put this…human."

Grace, taken aback by that statement widened her eyes. She wanted to have the courage to argue with her, but she couldn't. And how did this woman come to know of her being a hero back in her hometown?

"Ha, not much of a hero now are yah sweetie pie," she jeered, smiling tightly before introducing herself. "By the way, my name's Shirley. Shirley Stoneheart is what folks call me. As you can see, no other outlaw in Texas ever heard of a bovine like you take on a vicious cattle rustler and lived to tell the tale. But that ain't why I hired the gang to capture you."

_Then what is it_? Grace thought, no longer feeling frightened, but irritated at Shirley's remark. _What could you possibly want from me that's so important_?_ Answer me_! She watched as Shirley had uncrossed her arms and moved closer to have a look at her body.

"A hero cow eh?" Shirley scoffed, poking various body parts with the riding crop. "You expect me to believe you could defeat anybody with such puny legs and a fat stomach." She gave Grace a firm poke on the side of the torso, making Grace wince. Grace turned the other way in protest when Shirley eyed her face and stopped in front of her. "And such a beautiful face there." Shirley seized hold of Grace's chin and forced her head up to meet her eyes. "Actually I'm quite impressed to hear o' your courageous act. And I must admit you got a certain prettiness quite different from other cattle here in Texas."

_What are you getting at lady_? Grace thought, getting rather impatient with Shirley for not getting to the point. All she wanted to know was why this woman only wanted her in the first place. Shirley's touch under her chin was so tightening, it hurt.

"But what happened before is all in the past for you," Shirley went on. "From now on, Coal Mine Canyon will be your new home for a while. This is my hideout where I hire miners to do the job at diggin' up coal for profit and how I can gain the respect n' honor I deserve. What they don't know is that this mine has been abandoned by a company who no longer owns the place. So all I had to do was place a fake business ad to other towns and they bought it. How else I did it is no concern o' yours. You may think you're still a hero, but you're not anymore; because I'm your new owner."

Bewildered at that last word, Grace released herself from Shirley's grip and yearned to lunge at her. But there was no possible way to break out of these shackles binding her to the wall. Shirley only smirked and chuckled through her nose, seeming to take enjoyment out of her helplessness with those chains rattling.

"Please forgive me for havin' you chained to the wall," she said mockingly. "I simply couldn't risk lettin' yah wanderin' bout now could I?" Then she gave Grace a gentle touch under the chin. "My precious pet."

With that remark, Grace couldn't believe her ears. Extending her neck, Grace attempted to take a bite out of Shirley's hand, but missed. _You're not my mistress, and I am not your pet_. Grace thought angrily, baring her teeth. _I belong to myself_!

Astonished by her move, Shirley clutched her left hand protectively and stared at her new pet. The woman's lips formed a silent snarl of fury. Never had anybody in this mine had the nerve to do what Grace tried to.

Sensing the tenseness building in the air, Grace felt she might have made a big mistake with that bite attempt and felt nervousness take over from seeing Shirley's terrible expression. And with one quick movement, Shirley seized the back of the neck chain attached to Grace, pushing her to be pinned against the wall. Grace couldn't move and could barely breathe as she saw that Shirley's smile turned into a nasty snarl.

"Listen closely you, while you're livin' in this mine under my command, let me make it clear that I do not tolerate bad behavior!" She growled. "Know that I'm your new mistress and the owner o' this here mine. And whether you like it or not, you're gonna do whatever me and the miners order you to do or you'll be punished. And any attempts at escape behind my back will result in me takin' away your food n' water." She added forcefully and nastily. "From now on, you belong to me forever. And yah might as well kiss your old life goodbye back in that town where you've been called a hero. Are we clear?"

With Grace nodding her head weakly, Shirley finally let go of her chain to let her new pet catch her breath. Her chest heaving from the tight grip against the wall, Grace did not notice Shirley take out a cigarette from behind her ear until she heard the click of a lighter she used to light it up. After putting the lighter away, Shirley stared up at the rocky ceiling thoughtfully while blowing a smoke cloud.

"I suppose yah wanna know what I've been doin' to get folks to respect me," she boasted, turning to face Grace. "Well darlin', I was once the youngest o' the three sisters of a wealthy uncle. My one dream was to someday become the most dazzlin' and gorgeous singer the west has ever known. At first, my uncle didn't approve o' the idea with me gainin' fame. But overtime, I managed to prove him wrong with all the money I earned to save his ranch." Then Shirley's tone turned to mock hurtfulness. "Yet as much as I gained respect from my fellow peers, there were often those who don't show enough gratitude or respect for my talent. No matter how much yah pour your own heart into a song, they just simply don't care."

She buried her face in her hands, pretending to cry while still holding the cigarette in her hand. In a way, Grace felt a string of pity after Shirley mentioned the fact of being around others who don't accept you for who you are. And she sometimes wondered why some critters didn't seem to take a liking to her singing. Despite what other critters thought, Grace strongly believed her singing could never compare to anyone's. But in truth, no one ever had the courage to admit that she sounded like a dying cow, not even her friends. If it made her happy, they didn't want to spoil it. Then Grace shook her head frantically, remembering that it was Shirley who hired the gang to kidnap her.

_That is a sad story._ Grace said in her mind. _But that still doesn't explain why else you have me chained to the wall. Now tell me what you want with me_.

"I mean ain't it sad that a singer like me o' great talent is suddenly unappreciated by those around her?" Shirley maintained, though her covered hands.

Grace couldn't help but frown sadly at the thought of that. Then as she listened closely to Shirley's fake sobbing, she suddenly realized that it transformed into a mocking laughter that made her blood run cold. Grace stepped back as Shirley removed her hands from her face that showed no hurt, but a wicked sneer. The evil laughter lasted for thirty seconds before Shirley was able to catch her breath and take another puff from her cigarette.

Blowing a smoke cloud, she ranted proudly. "Well so much for the past. Cause I got somethin' better planned for the both o' us my darlin'. Yah see durin' my stay in Chugwater, I've been doin' a lot o' thinkin' recently. I finally realize that I don't need my uncle's ranch no more. I've decided to have my own ranch built where the lawmen can never find me."

_Wait a darn minute; is that what this is all about_? Grace thought sarcastically, rolling her eyes. _You hired my old enemies to kidnap me, just to tell me you're building a new ranch in the middle of nowhere? Give me a break_. She had half expected Shirley to be finished with her speech, but the woman had other words to say that would give her a shock.

"Unlike most other barons in this state who raise herds o' Holsteins, Herefords, and longhorns, I have no desire to be like the rest o' them," she said with a broad smile. "After I left my town, I dreamed o' one day raisin' a herd o' cattle more beautiful than a longhorn and radiant as a sunflower."

The atmosphere of cigarette smoke caused Grace to cough a few times from its unpleasant scent. Leaning against the wall, she was forced to breathe in the vapor and it made her feel a bit nauseous and at the same time paralyzed her. She hated the awful scent of cigarette smoke. And Grace didn't understand how anyone could smoke it. Yet that wasn't all that made her sick. When Shirley boasted of someday raising a herd of beautiful, radiant cattle, it suddenly hit her. Shirley was never interested in taking her coat for her next performance. And she never intended to raise any kind of cattle that other barons in the west have already done. No, she wanted a cow full of real beauty both inside and out. And that cow was her!

"That's right dear," Shirley said, once again reaching out to hold her new pet's face from underneath the chin. "You're the one beautiful cow I'm talkin' bout."

To Shirley, Grace really did possess certain prettiness different from other cattle. She raised her face as her new pet couldn't look anywhere else but her own sea-green eyes. The bandit queen was so caught up in examining her face that she didn't even bother to notice the tears forming in her pet's eyes. Her bright blond hide was as golden as the sun rather than just a sunflower.

Grace on the contrary, did not feel so beautiful. She felt disgusted. With all the cigarette smoke, she couldn't breathe properly. Either it was the awful scent that made her eyes teary or the fact that she would really be forced to kiss her old life on Patch of Heaven goodbye forever. She couldn't even smell the sweat beading down her cheeks. The tear in her right bruised eye stung. And Shirley's grip on her face tightened up, that she couldn't break free. Coughing a bit, Grace felt her chest moving up and down within every breath she took, deep and her heart raced as she saw Shirley inhale another puff from the cigarette and blow a cloud straight into her face. By that movement, Grace coughed harder and harder as Shirley released her face and watched her pet fall facedown onto the concrete ground with delight.

"Oh I'm sorry dear," Shirley gave her a fake apology. "I only wanted to be sure you're able to follow the rules in this here mine. I can't have all my workin' critters actin' all proper now could I." She gave a dark chuckle.

Heaving in a few last heavy breaths, Grace ceased wheezing and stared up at Shirley with eyes narrowed in anger. She desperately wanted to hurt this woman for taking away her freedom and treating her like dirt down in this tunnel. She had no desire to become this woman's pet…or slave for that matter. Grace knew Shirley would never show her the kind of love that Pearl had given her. And even if she did somehow, it would be a selfish kind of love; the way a greedy miser loves money more than life itself.

"Well that wraps it up for today," Shirley said proudly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I have to leave for a few minutes to check on the workers. But I'll be sure to let them know to bring you food and water later. It wouldn't be fair to let my pet suffer from starvation if I still ever plan on raisin' a herd o' golden cattle. My new ranch might take months to complete. So that's plenty o' time for me to find yah a husband. Until then, enjoy your new home while yah can."

With no more to say, Shirley dropped the cigarette on the ground and extinguished it with her left foot. She glanced over her shoulder, giving the same cold smile on her face as she walked back up to the opening of the tunnel. As she was out of sight, Grace coughed some more, wishing for some oxygen and clean air.

"I don't care what you say Shirley Stoneheart," Grace panted. "You won't get away with this. I won't stay chained up forever. And if I ever find a way out, I'll make sure you're on your knees begging for mercy."

At least Grace wanted to believe her own angry words. She buried her face between her front legs sobbing, tears leaking down her face.


	21. A Hard Days Work

**Chapter 21: A Hard Days Work**

"That's your new plan?" Scar Face Sam nearly blurted at the surprise plot Shirley had in mind. "You wanna raise a herd o' golden cattle?"

Minutes after leaving the lower tunnel where Grace was being held, she had called on Sam to discuss her new plans for the future. And here he thought that she had only wanted to take the bovine's coat for her next performance onstage. But now he was listening as Shirley explained that there has been a change of plans for Grace.

"I believe that's what I mentioned haven't I," Shirley smirked slightly, looking down on a clipboard to check on what's already been done. "Just think bout it. With her as my new pet, someday I'm gonna be livin' on a new ranch like no other cattle baron. If I can somehow get her to birth fine calves, they could be worth more than a Texas longhorn."

At these words, Sam scratched his chin thoughtfully as Shirley had her back turned examining the clipboard some more. A slight interest had grown within him to think how valuable a beautiful cow like Grace would turn out in the near future. Many business men from other states would be willing to pay a good price for each of them. At this rate, Sam was proud and pleased to have brought Grace back here alive. All those times he had threatened to kill her, he was now glad that he didn't finish her off. Then there goes the money.

"I ain't ever thought of it that way," he murmured. "Maybe I shouldn't have threatened to kill her with my bowie knife. My finger could've slipped."

Shirley whirled around to face Sam with a sour look. "Have you forgotten that I gave ya'll orders on what to do if she don't listen to your demands!" she reminded roughly. "The only way to get a captive to obey is by usin' force." Then her tone turned gentle. "Besides I ain't that worried bout her scars. They'll heal eventually. Just as singin' has been my career, my new dream now is to live on a wealthy farm. But seeing as it could take months to build the place, that dream will have to wait for a while." Reaching into her right boot, Shirley pulled out some green money and threw it over to Sam. "A deals a deal; thanks for bringin' my new pet." Giving Sam a sidelong glance, she waved him off. "Now be gone. I've got other work to do." She remarked.

"Alright, but ain't there some other job you'd like for me to do?" Sam asked, stuffing the money into the pockets of his pants.

"As a matter o' fact, yes," Shirley replied, facing Sam. "I'd like for you and your gang to visit whatever loggin' company ya'll can find and see how much the lumbers worth. I almost forgot that I ain't gonna build my ranch without lumber. Do this and I'll be willin' to pay yah more."

"Deal," Sam agreed in a low tone, turning to leave out of the mines.

As much as he wasn't pleased with doing the dirty work for someone else, he didn't mind as long as it meant being paid for the job. And that was when an idea occurred to him; one that he didn't want Miss Shirley to find out about. Once he and his gang were away from these mines, he would whisper this only to them and no one else. Then maybe he would be free to go his own way.

"MITCH MURPHY!" Shirley shouted toward a dark tunnel in the mine. A dark-haired and short bearded man in his forties marched out from the darkness and approached Shirley. He was a large fierce looking man with broad shoulders and a broad torso, dressed like a village smithy. And he stood two inches taller than Shirley.

"Can I help yah Miss Shirley?" He asked roughly, crossing his arms over his chest. His serious expression did not scare Shirley one bit as she answered.

"I want yah to put the new animal to work Mitch. Whether it means pullin' the mine cart or a wagon, do whatever yah want as long as she works hard. She's down in that tunnel chained to the wall; had to have my boys restrain her due to her feisty attitude. But I'm sure you're able to handle her alright?"

"Don't worry bout me," Mitch assured proudly. "I can handle any misbehavin' animal." He smacked a riding crop against the palm of his hand.

Before going down, Shirley fearlessly handed Mitch a small key to unlock the chains binding Grace. She felt that she had nothing to fear from anyone in the mines, believing she already had enough control over every single one of them. She knew that most of the miners would do anything for her without questioning her orders. It was her way of getting away with whatever scheme she had been hiding in secret. Mitch marched away from Shirley as he went down into the tunnel to take care of Grace. Shirley left to check on other important matters in another tunnel.

* * *

Down below the lower tunnel, Grace sat on her haunches; her head lowered sadly facing the stone floor. Shirley's plan for her was a real shock and deeply troubled her. She certainly did not want to give calves against her will. It wasn't that she didn't like children, but she had no real experience with mothering and believed she would never make a good enough mother. In fact, Grace felt she was still too young to have calves and raise a family of her own. Even if she wanted to, Grace would certainly not want to raise her children in an uncaring environment such as this place. How would she possibly teach them right from wrong? But then it wouldn't be for her to decide; especially when Shirley was her new owner. However, the thought of raising a family was too soon for Grace to be thinking about and she certainly was not ready for it.

"I already have a family of my own," Grace said angrily to herself. "I for one don't know anything about raising calves or being a good mother. Luckily Mrs. C told me it takes months for a baby to come. But I sure hope it doesn't happen to me anytime soon." Heaving a sigh, Grace tapped at the ground with her left chained hoof as she whispered calmly. "I won't believe what Shirley told me. I'll find a way outta here somehow, even if it takes my entire life. My friends wouldn't want me to give up, and neither would my old friends." Grace felt saddened when she mentioned her old friends from the past, but realized they were inside her heart and would never leave that place. "But if I can't escape, then my last hope will be a rescue. We'll see what happens."

Soon she snapped back to reality when the sound of heavy footsteps perked at her ears. Hoping it would be someone carrying food, Grace saw that a tall fierce man was coming down. But he wasn't carrying anything else on him, not even a bucket of food. Rather than be pleased to see someone, Grace grew nervous of his appearance and his stone cold expression locked on her as she backed into the wall. The man only kept coming forward with the small key in his hand, no compassion in his eyes.

"So you're the new animal in this mine eh," he said in a voice that made her blood run cold. Approaching her, he used the small key to unlock her shackles, but not before throwing a rawhide rope around her neck to make sure she wouldn't run. "Miss Shirley told me all bout yah. And she suggests that you be put to work today. So follow me."

Tugging roughly on the rope, Grace followed reluctantly, feeling butterflies in her stomach from not knowing how she'll handle with working in the mines. But if she did want to survive a few more days in this wretched place, then she'd have to do her best to please the miners by obeying. No matter how tired she would become, Grace would simply have to make the best of a bad situation if she were ever to find a way to escape.

"Right this way," Mitch said lowly, giving another hard tug to make her move faster.

Grace didn't do anything other than let herself be led by Mitch to make a right turn in a different tunnel labeled Shaft A, where she heard more hammering and picking. _You won't break me that easily_. That was all Grace thought, staring at the big guy from behind. _I may be a cow, but I bet I can outrun you easily if I weren't tied up_.

In truth, Grace was indeed an athletic and fast bovine which made her the hero of the three. But that doesn't mean she can handle a gang of dangerous criminals by herself. And sometimes her curiosity and naïve personality would get the best of her; especially by making her think she can take on any bad guy alone. Only now it seemed this was the worst time for her to be wrong about it. Grace had underestimated the bad guys at the time she was captured. And that mistake turned her into a prisoner.

_I'll figure out an escape plan somehow_. Grace reminded herself with confidence, as she walked past two miners picking at the walls with pickaxes. _I just don't know yet_.

Finally Mitch led her to the edge of the shaft where an empty rail cart sat as if waiting for someone to pull it. And that someone was Grace as she had guessed. Mitch ordered her to stand in front of the cart as he threw a circular leathery yoke around her neck that was attached to a harness of buckles and chains in which he made sure to fasten up around her body tightly. Grace hated what he did, but knew better than to stir. His appearance was intimidating and frightening to her.

"Now let's see yah handle with pullin' the cart," he smirked, picking up a pickax and slinging it over his left shoulder. "Get at it!"

Grace obeyed timidly and reluctantly. The lanterns lit the way in the shaft as Grace moved forward. The cart turned out to be heavy, slowing her pace a bit. Still she moved on. To her surprise, the heat in this area was horrible in which she found herself to be sweating almost immediately. Grace even made the mistake of looking up at the ceiling where two stones hit her between the eyes and on top of the head.

"Watch out for falling stones on the ceiling," a work donkey who entered the area recently advised her, before moving on with the cart behind him and another miner at his side.

Grace took his advice without being able to thank him as she wanted to. He was out of ear shot. As she kept pulling and taking turns on a few corners, Grace could now feel herself struggling with the attempt to move faster. The lack of food and hunger caused her body to lose a bit of energy. Why couldn't anyone in this mine bring her some food the first day of being here? But she dared not slow down until Mitch ordered her to do so. Because in his other hand, he held a riding crop and Grace knew what it was intended for if she didn't keep going. And she was keen to avoid it.

_When am I going to get a break from this_? Grace thought to herself, grunting from the heavy pull. _This cart is heavier than I thought. But I don't want to get in trouble by complaining or slowing down. So I'm gonna have to try harder_. So far, Grace did alright for the first hour of working. But during the next half hour, she was beginning to tire. And when Mitch noticed that she was not moving fast enough, he was not pleased.

"C'mon, move it yah lazy bovine!" he snapped, yelling in her right ear. "No rest till that carts filled." Before Grace could protest, he brought the crop down on her withers.

Startled by the rough hit, Grace winced and moved forward once more, with Mitch close beside her cart. Soon after being able to increase her pace, her caretaker no longer attempted to hit her. Just as long as Grace wasn't slowing down, he didn't hit her.

"Stop right here!" Mitch ordered, holding onto the cart so that Grace pulled to a stop where a chute stuck out from the ceiling through a square hole. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched as a few odd rocks came pouring down and filling the cart halfway. "Alright, move out!"

With no more rocks to fill, Grace was forced to move once more into a different path where men chiseled away at the walls with picks and shoveling the rocks into other rail carts attached to more donkeys. They all looked at her with sad expressions on their face, meaning that they didn't like what they were being forced to do. And Grace couldn't help but feel sorrier for them than herself. In truth, she was the only cow in the mines to be put to work along with the donkeys. The track she stayed on just kept on going, feeling like an eternity since she started working and Grace secretly hoped that she'd reach the end of the track soon, not knowing how much more of this pulling she could take. For the rest of the day, Grace had to wait hours for the cart to be filled with coal all the way to the top. She was not allowed to sit or lie down during that time. And that's when the cart grew heavier for her.

_Oh please don't let it be too heavy for me_. Grace thought worriedly, unable to make the cart budge. _I have to take this all the way to the top_. Her muscles ached, but she refused to give up.

"Keep pullin' that cart!" Mitch snarled, thrashing her on the withers twice.

_If an ox can pull this cart, then so can I…I hope_. When she thought she'd never be able to pull the cart, Grace found herself to be moving across the track in a slow pace. _Must go on, I can't stop now_. While pulling away, Grace was now panting heavily from the heavy load as Mitch was leading her up toward a surface area with an opening. It wasn't an easy task; especially if this was her first time carrying a heavy load without being fed. And the feeling of the riding crop on her back was horrible.

By the time she stepped out into the open again, dusk had fallen. She almost couldn't believe that she had been working so long in the mines, that she had lost track of time. Yet it did feel wonderful to be out in the fresh air again. Looking around the site, she watched another work donkey walk out of Shaft B panting from exhaustion. Grace reckoned that he might have not been allowed to rest until the cart was filled all through the day. None of the miners seemed to recognize this as they were too busy being happy with the result of the amount of coal gathered. And before Grace knew it, she found herself on the ground, collapsed from exhaustion. She couldn't help being tired from working without any rest or food. In fact, she would give anything for a drink of water right at this moment to quench her dehydrated body.

_Why are they treating me like this_? Grace thought, panting heavily with her tongue hanging out. _Have these miners no heart or compassion_? Right now, the poor heifer was too tired to think straight about everything that has happened recently.

"Hey Mitch check it out!" one miner pointed out at Grace mockingly. "Looks like that bovine don't have it in her today. What'd Miss Shirley want with her anyhow?"

"Never mind that!" Shouted Mitch. "Just go fetch me a bucket o' water."

_Well it's about time_. Grace thought impatiently, panting still. _I've been dying of thirst all day_. Having misunderstood what she overheard, it wasn't what Grace had in mind when something cold splashed onto her sweaty body. Shocked, Grace sat up with a start wondering why he soaked her like that. The only relief from it was that it cleared off some of the sweat and decreased the pain in her black eye. But she still wanted a drink. _Thanks I needed that_! She said in her mind sarcastically, giving Mitch an unpleasant frown. All Mitch did was chuckle darkly as he approached her, handing the pail to another miner. Nervous, Grace tried backing up, but couldn't as Mitch grabbed hold of her yoke and pulled her toward his face violently. Grace couldn't help but stare up at him in confusion and fear.

"Don't think you're outta the woods yet bovine!" he bellowed straight into her face. "Now all that's left is dumpin' off the coal. So get up and follow me!"

He let go and kicked her in the side to make her sit up. All Grace could do was moving out again without protesting to avoid trouble. Of course it appeared that the chute was only fifteen feet away from where she had collapsed. And that's where Mitch lowered the cart to the right in order to drop off the coal. Down below was where all the coal would be going to a chamber to be collected, stored, and prepared to be sold.

"Wonderful job there Mitch."

Grace glanced over her shoulder to find that Shirley had just showed up behind Mitch, holding a clipboard in her left arm.

_Her again, what does she want this time_? Grace frowned, not the least bit pleased to see Shirley. _Is she here to gloat about her plans for me_? _That's just what I need at this moment_. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"I trust yah handled her alright," Shirley crossed her arms over her chest waiting for an answer.

"Yep, had no trouble with her one bit," Mitch boasted, emptying the last bit of coal down the chute. "She's a fine workin' animal after all, even though she was a bit slow this afternoon."

"Oh she'll just have to get used to the cart eventually," Shirley said, marking something on the clipboard. "All the other mules have done so." She turned to face the miners.

"Alright listen up yah dogs!" Shirley announced. "You've all worked hard enough for the day and gathered enough coal. And I'm quite impressed. So ya'll can rest for the night and come back tomorrow mornin'. But hear this, whichever team brings out the highest number o' coal will be given a raise and promoted as employee o' the month!"

The miners erupted with cheer and applause at hearing this. They chatted amongst each other as they gathered their tools and headed inside the mines with some of the work donkeys that were with them. Every single one of the miners admired Shirley as if she was some kind of queen. It wasn't because of her beauty, but due to the fact that she always gave a good raise to the one who worked the hardest. And many of the miners competed for that chance.

Turning back to face Grace and Mitch, she smiled lavishly. "Mitch, take her in and chain her back up. She's already done enough work for today. And I wouldn't want her runnin' outta steam durin' the night."

"Yes Miss Shirley," Mitch nodded as he watched Shirley disappear into Shaft A. Facing Grace, he took out the same rope from his belt and undid the buckles to her harness and removed the yoke. Although she was free from the cart, Grace did not dare try to make a run for it as the rope was thrown around her neck before Mitch led her back in through Shaft A. She hadn't yet thought of a plan and still needed time.

**AN**: _My updates have been late because of my stupid slow internet connection. It acts that way sometimes, but it also tends to come back. So I'm not going to let it stop me from updating. Otherwise that would leave my stories incomplete and on a cliff-hanger. But don't worry. I don't ever plan on abandoning my stories. Where there's a will, there's a way. And I will find a way to get the rest of these chapters going. _


	22. Following the Tracks

**Chapter 22: Following the tracks**

That night, Grace was chained to the wall in the same tunnel where the Yeller Gang had left her since the first day of arrival. Shirley had ordered Mitch to bring her a bucket of food and water, knowing that her new pet would have to be fed if she wanted to keep the heifer alive for the next few months. To Grace's relief, she was glad that her so-called new owner finally realized that she needed food to eat and stay alive. But the food she had been given wasn't something she had expected. In the first bucket, it contained grain mixed with dry grass. And it was only filled halfway just like the second bucket of half-filled water. In other words, Grace didn't care and being such a hungry heifer for so many long hours, ate it all up. The grain wasn't that good, and the grass tasted brittle. In other words, it was food after all.

"Well at least I don't have to worry about my stomach growling tonight," Grace grumbled, wiping her mouth after eating everything. "How do all the miners expect anyone to work through starvation? It doesn't make sense." She turned to drink what was left of the water in the other bucket. Soon Grace decided to lie down against the wall and try to get comfortable. "Oh what other reason do I have to complain?" Grace sighed, her eyes closed halfway. "I still have to find out how I'm gonna get out of here later." Within minutes, the sweet heifer could no longer keep her eyes open and fell fast asleep.

* * *

_Elsewhere that night_

"I can't believe we made it through this side without falling off that log," Maggie muttered in disbelief around the tiny campfire made by Lucky Jack. There weren't enough long twigs for it to last no more than two hours, but everyone was too tired from walking to care. Already Rusty and Lucky Jack had fallen dead asleep while the girls were still awake. "I never wanna do that again." She loved adventures, but hated heights.

The four adventurers had miraculously made it over the same edge where the Yeller Gang had jumped over whilst pursuing the lawmen on their heels several days ago. To their misfortune, the other side seemed too far out for any of them to jump over. The group had pondered, thinking how anyone would ever get passed this. Their only choice would have been to find a way around it by walking along the edge, if it hadn't been for Maggie knocking over a tree log in frustration by accident. By luck it had been gigantic and long enough for them to cross over to the other side. As desperate as they all were to save Grace, it proved to be too dark for them to continue on the path.

"Just be thankful it didn't break," Mrs. Calloway yawned. "Otherwise we'd never rescue Grace and she'd be lost for good." Her voice was mixed with worry at the thought of never finding Grace out in this lonely wilderness. "If we don't make it in time…"

"Now don't say that, you're starting to sound like me back on that train," Maggie intervened sincerely. "Look how far we come. We'll find her somehow. If I know Grace, she'd never let herself be broken by those vermin that easily. Her singing could blast all their eardrums in several seconds."

"I couldn't agree more," Mrs. C admitted with a slight laugh. "Just don't tell her you said that. You know how sensitive she can be."

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed," Maggie made a zipping motion across her lips.

The two fell silent, staring at the small campfire about to go out. Neither one of them had that much to say to each other. There hadn't been that much to talk about other than to assure that Grace was alive, even they weren't too sure. It was only a feeling. Both were worried and concerned for her safety, not knowing how much longer she could handle captivity.

At this moment Maggie could feel her eyes closing in on her. She was too tired to stay awake any longer and fell asleep. In secret, she berated herself for not knowing what other kind words to think about to make more light of their situation out here. If she did think of something, it might possibly end up with her making a joke that Mrs. Calloway might not find funny.

Letting out a soft sigh, Mrs. Calloway faced up at the starry sky through the leafy tree branches. She hated to admit it, but it almost felt as if she could hear a good joke to break her out of this uneasy feeling of worry. But now that Maggie had already fallen asleep, she decided to wait until morning when they start out again. Gazing up at the stars, she was able to recall the memory of Grace listening to the tale of wishing upon a star. In Mrs. C's opinion, the whole idea of that sounded like nonsense. But Grace didn't mind much.

_If we hadn't let Grace tag along, this whole thing could've been avoided no thanks to our carelessness_. Mrs. C thought, feeling herself tense up as she thought about both her and Maggie not ever noticing that Grace was missing after losing track of the robber. She wanted to cry, but couldn't, thinking she was too strong for that. _No, Buck is right. It's nobody's fault she got captured by those ruffians. Wherever Grace may be, she must be counting on us to save her. It's up to us to take action_.

She then took a deep breath and laid herself down for some sleep. If anyone were awake right now, they'd assure her that everyone makes mistakes, including heroes like them. Whatever else happened now was not the time for self pity. What she and Maggie didn't know was that Grace even made the mistake herself by going after the other bandit behind the barber shop, thinking she could catch him alone. Nobody wanted to imagine what Grace may be going through during captivity. Mrs. Calloway sighed in defeat as she realized that all she can do at this point in time was hope that Grace was hanging on at Coal Mine Canyon by the time the group gets there.

* * *

_In the grassland prairies_

By the time morning had passed the next day, Rusty intended to use his sense of smell to hopefully follow the track left behind by the bandits. On the ground, he identified a few footprints likely made from a group of horses. These were not freshly made moments ago as he had guessed. And it wasn't made by a herd of wild horses since none inhabited these areas. If it did come from a whole herd, there would have been thousands of footprints.

"Did you find anything suspicious yet?" Maggie finally asked after a few moments of silence.

"These tracks here sure ain't freshly made that's for sure," Rusty answered, still sniffing. "But I do believe we're on the right track. The bandits have been through here alright."

"Do they go straight ahead or take a turn for the worst?"

"Straight ahead I hope, let's keep followin' and find out. Just watch your step on these slippery hills." He finished, nearly losing his footing on wet grass.

The golden sun shone through the grayish clouds overhead and the west wind blew lightly against the group. Rusty's snout picked up the scent of rain in the air and advised that they keep going in case of a flood. Looking up at his surroundings, they were traveling in the same grassland prairies in which the Yeller Gang had passed through a week ago on their first day of marching. Throughout the morning, they had passed many cypress trees, waterfalls and beautiful lakes.

Not that many clues had been found other than a pile of wood gathered for a fire in another spot they had come across on what used to be a camp site. As Rusty and Lucky Jack had suspected, these pile of burnt twigs were made by humans not too long ago. And what other reason would there be a few tiny rope pieces scattered next to a tree? Examining the pieces, Rusty had guessed that they were used to tie down a captive like Grace and cut before moving on. Another disturbing thing for the dog to smell was tiny stains of dry blood on parts of the pieces. Rusty wasn't sure what to make of those stains and neither did the others. The only thing the four friends were certain of was that it wasn't good. The thought of it was simply unbearable to think about. But the more Mrs. Calloway stared down at those rope pieces, the more rage built up inside of her. By the looks of it, those bandits likely made the ropes tight on Grace to cut through and she had to suffer because of it. She swore to herself and the others that they were not going to get away with it. Grace was too sweet and gentle to deserve this horrible treatment. Even Maggie was with her on this. Nobody should ever treat their friend like this. And once the group reaches their destination, those bad guys are sure going to wish they've never been born. As if almost losing their home to bankruptcy wasn't bad enough, this crime has crossed the line.

All through the day, the group stumbled through the prairies to cross high mounds of tall grass and wild flowers in which Lucky Jack began to pluck, remembering Shirley's weakness. Personally he didn't know how much longer it would take to get to Coal Mine Canyon, but depending on how close they were getting, he had hoped the pollen would stay fresh for a day or two. It had to work in case no wild flowers were near Shirley's hideout. So he advised everyone to gather as many wild flowers as they were likely to find during their search. By the time night fell, the same cave which the bandits had slept in on the second night had been the right place for the group to sleep; especially since rain was beginning to pour. It kept them safe from being drenched.

"Well while we're stuck in this cave, anyone wanna hear a joke?" Maggie finally spoke up after a few minutes of silence. Because of the hard walk, she thought it might do good to wipe the sour looks on everyone's faces with a laugh.

"I do, I do!" Lucky Jack shouted like a happy child as if he were on his way to the fair.

"What kind o' jokes do you got to share tonight?" Rusty asked out of curiosity. "Barn jokes or somethin'?"

"Hmm…knock knock!"

"Who's there?" asked Rusty.

"Lettuce."

"Lettuce who?"

"Lettuce entertain you with these udderly a-moo-sing barn jokes!"

Everyone including Mrs. Calloway burst out laughing hysterically at that hilarious joke.

**AN**: _Here is an update to the story. Sorry for the long wait. Like I said before, I never plan to abandon any of my stories, no matter how busy I get with things. This chapter may not be so long, but there is still more to come. The next update hopefully will be soon._


	23. When Things Go Wrong

**Chapter 23: When Things Go Wrong**

While Rusty, Lucky Jack, Maggie, and Mrs. C had spent the day marching through the grassland prairies, the next day of captivity for Grace had not gotten any better for her. Because of the strictness and tiring work she went through yesterday, it was clear that there was no escape from the mine as it seemed to her. But she was still determined not to let the bad day get the best of her or let anyone's negative opinions bring her down. And despite the unkindness from everyone, she was not about to give up too easily. As yesterday went by quickly, instead of being put to work in the mines, Shirley ordered Mitch to take Grace outside and place her in a corral with a few donkeys who were also not working today. The corrals were located in the back outside of Coal Mine Canyon under its shadow, providing shade as protection against the sun. As selfish and unkind Shirley might be in secret, she was not about to risk her new pet to collapse from exhaustion with working. Of course, the woman was only thinking about the amount of money she would later be making instead of being concerned for the heifer's health. Today Grace would be given a day of rest and get back to working tomorrow.

"Alright bovine, Miss Shirley says you may rest for today," Mitch told Grace as he roughly took hold of the rope to her neck while leading her out of Shaft D and down a walkway. "But tomorrow, it's back to work for you."

From there the path led to two corrals standing a bit close to each other. In the left corral were five floppy eared donkeys. Two of them were chestnut and three were silvery with white stockings on all fours. And in the right corral, to her shock, there was Fire Bolt chatting with the same four companions who baited her back over at the Guadalupe River.

_Oh no not them, please don't put me in with those guys_. Grace pleaded on her mind worriedly. She saw that the horses were still too busy talking to notice her coming. But Mitch wasn't leading her toward their corral. It seemed he was ready to place her with the donkeys as he opened the gate there.

"In yah go now!" He said harshly, shoving her in and removing the rope. Locking the gate, he said, "And don't try leavin' this corral to make an escape. This whole area is surrounded by a never-ending dry land. You'd be dead from dehydration." Chuckling, he then turned to head back up to the mines.

For five minutes, Grace watched her caretaker leave, the donkeys stared blankly, unsure of what to think of her. She certainly was no donkey and they wondered what it was about her that Miss Shirley fancied.

"Say ain't she the one rumored to be Miss Shirley's new pet?" asked Fred, one of the two chestnut donkeys. He had two white stockings on his front ankles. "I heard bout it from one o' the miners yesterday."

"Must be," the silver donkey replied back in a whisper. He had a white mane and tail. His name was Jake. "I hear she wants to raise a herd o' golden cattle on her own ranch. Why not choose a longhorn, they're just as valuable?"

"Because she wanted a bovine o' real exquisite beauty that's why," the other grey, spotted donkey replied. He was referred to as Marcus. "Why don't we go talk and welcome her here?"

"I ain't talkin' to her," the third silver donkey snorted in objection. "If she's as purty as she believes herself to be, she must be a real snob." Then he turned away to eat. "Yah know how the gorgeous ones are round here; beautiful, but so full o' themselves if yah know what I mean."

"Excuse me," Grace turned to the direction of the donkeys, overhearing what was said about her. And she said in a sharp tone. "For your information, I'm no snob. And I'm not one of those girls who go round bragging about their looks as you may think. I've spent my days giving a helping hand at home when my friends needed it."

"Uh don't mind Chuck miss," assured Marcus in a friendly tone. "He don't really mean to be unkind. He's just upset cause he got dumped by a purty mare a month before bein' bought and sold here. And he hasn't got over it since."

"I heard that Marcus!" snapped Chuck.

"Don't worry, he'll get over it soon," whispered Marcus. "So what's your name little lady?"

"Um…Grace," she answered, trying to sound polite. "That's my name."

"Well Miss Grace, welcome to the corral. I think you know my name already."

"What is it again?"

"Marcus. And that's Jake, Fred and Bernie." He gestured to the other boys.

"Oh howdy there. How have you been?" Grace said to them.

"Eh, not too bad. We ain't fond of workin' in the mines, but it's our job to work for the humans. How'd you get here?"

"I was kidnapped from my other home just outta this state," Grace answered meekly. "To make a long story short, I never expected that my old enemies would find me there until now. I don't care how else they did it, but I just wanna know if there is any possible way to escape without getting caught."

"Afraid it ain't that simple Miss Grace," Marcus shook his head.

"Please…just call me Grace," Grace suggested.

"Well it ain't simple Grace," Marcus continued. "You heard what Mitch just mentioned. This place is surrounded by a never endin' dry land. Heat waves out there might kill us if we tried to escape there. So if you're plannin' on tryin' to do what I think you're doin', don't even try."

"But I don't belong here," Grace protested. "Shirley is not my owner. I don't care what she says. Are you saying I should just give up? Well that's not gonna happen."

"Face the facts little lady," Chuck spoke sharply. "Wherever yah came from, don't count on any miracle to come n' rescue yah. The humans don't let us go anywhere else, except to work in the mines. You may claim this ain't your new home, but it is. It don't matter if you're bought or stolen. There ain't no goin' back."

Somehow, Chuck's words made Grace annoyed with him encouraging her to give up. "Oh yeah, just wait and see what I can do."

At that rate, the donkeys watched as Grace turned to face the tall walls of the corral with her backing up and preparing to make a jump over it.

"Uh wait a darn minute; I wouldn't do that if I were…" Chuck tried to warn her, but Grace dashed off, ignoring him. "…you."

In secret, Grace wanted to show Chuck and the rest of the donkeys that she was not as helpless and weak as they probably think of her. Perhaps if she jumped out of the corral, they'd see how brave she is.

Confidently, she leaped into the air. But rather than sail across the fence as she had hoped, she found herself hanging halfway on top of it. Grace couldn't believe what happened moments ago as she stared wide eyed at the ground in shock. She had failed to make it through. Thinking quickly, Grace tried to hide her shame and humiliation while struggling helplessly.

"Oops, I must've made some k…kind of m…miscalculation here," she stuttered nervously, her hind legs kicking against the fence to get off, but it was no use. "Would one of you mind helping me?"

"Hey boys, look what's hangin' there," Fire Bolt whispered to his companions as he gestured to a helpless Grace trying to get off the fence. He let out a shameful snicker, enjoying Grace's helplessness. Soon his pals joined in on the laughing. "Looks like someone didn't pass their sports exam!"

Hearing this, Grace was stunned but she ignored those words and kept struggling and kicking her hind legs. The bully boys laughed some more as they watched her.

"You sure look good hangin' round missy!" the liver coated horse named Champ jeered out. "Don'tcha know no other four legged beast can jump over the corrals? It's way too high off the ground!"

"Think we should help her?" Jake whispered to Marcus. Neither he nor anyone else wanted poor Grace to be poked fun at by those mean horses.

"Come on," Marcus sighed, walking over to a helpless Grace with his buddies following. "Hang in there missy, we'll get you out in a jiffy. Just stop kickin'."

Altogether the donkeys grabbed a hold of the heifer's hind legs and pulled back with all their might. Before Grace knew it, she was successfully pulled back into the corral. She could only stare at the fence feeling bedraggled, humiliated, ashamed, and sunk to a low level of zero. With the donkeys gathered around her, it seemed no word of kindness from any of them could help her feel better.

That was when the gates opened with Mitch and Shirley entering. Around this time was when the animals were given food and water during meal times. And Mitch was coming down with four buckets of grain and water to give them, until he witnessed Grace hanging over the fence as if she were trying to make an escape. That was when he rushed over with Shirley also witnessing the same scene. She on the other hand wanted to check up and see how her precious pet was getting acquainted with the other donkeys.

"Stop her Mitch!" Shirley shrieked, panicked at nearly losing her pet. "Don't let her get away!"

Without warning, Mitch lunged himself at Grace like a hunting cougar, keeping her pinned to the ground with his strong arms on her side.

"What do I do now?" He asked, refusing to let go.

"Shackle those hind legs o' hers!" Shirley responded, her fists tightening. "I can't have her jumpin' that fence again!"

Luckily Mitch knew to carry at least a pair or two shackles tucked inside whenever possible during work hours. He swiftly snatched one pair from his belt and locked the shackles onto her back ankles to prevent her from jumping or running. When Grace tried to get back up, Mitch held her down firmly and said, "Don't move!"

Grace felt her head fume as she was forced to lie on the dirt ground by force. Whether this was due to the hot weather or her negative emotions, sweat beaded on her forehead. She could not stand being treated like a slave and hated being blamed for something that was not her fault in the first place. Ok, maybe it was her fault for choosing to try and jump over the fence, but still…

When Mitch removed himself off of Grace, he stepped back to leave the rest to Shirley. Grace stared up in alarm at the woman through her bruised eye and saw that she had given her a cold calculating look with her hands on her hips. Great, just when she was close to freedom, the enemy has to show themselves at a worse time. Now Grace feared that she might be given a whipping or something. She wished that her jump attempt would have succeeded if only her body possessed enough energy.

"My darlin' pet," Shirley said a dark sweetened tone that turned menacing. "Were you thinkin' o' leavin' your new owner behind? Can I not leave you alone for five long minutes without you disobeyin' my rules?"

The frightened heifer's heart raced as she shuddered, imagining what plan Shirley could possibly be thinking of next.

"Insolent heifer!" she hollered angrily. "You will be punished!"

The donkeys gasped in shock at what the evil woman mentioned. They knew exactly what was about to happen to Grace. And nobody in this pen dared to speak of it to her. Instead of planning to do what Grace thought she would do, the woman turned to Mitch.

"Mitch, take her away!" she demanded. "Lock her in the wine cellar!" As Shirley watched Mitch seize Grace up by the scruff of her neck, she maintained. "Sorry to do this, but it's for your own good. And for thinkin' o' tryin' to run away, no food or water for the rest o' the day."

Dragging Grace with them, the humans walked out of the corral before Mitch shut and locked the gate behind him. All the donkeys watched sorrowfully and worriedly while Grace had been pulled toward a wooden door embedded deep within the earth, located under the shadows of Coal Mine Canyon. Where she was going was the place where bad work animals spent the rest of the day if they ever misbehaved. And that was the cold wine cellar.

* * *

With Mitch opening the wooden doors, he grabbed Grace by her neck once more and pushed her down the stairs, causing her to tumble and fall on her side. Staring up at the awful man, he announced to her in a ravaging tone.

"If the corral ain't good enough for yah, then you're to stay here till it's time to go to sleep. Now you just think bout why you're in here. The cellar is a mighty dark place for troublemakers like you." Letting out a boastful laugh, he swung the wooden doors closed on her, locked them, and walked off leaving Grace in the darkness of the cellar. The light from the suns rays shined through the crack areas and a hole no smaller than a dime.

In a panic, Grace pushed herself off the ground and rushed up the stars to push against the wooden doors. It was no use trying to thrust while it was tightly locked. So Grace thought about banging.

"Please let me out!" she pleaded while kicking it with her front hooves. "I won't jump the fence again, I promise. Just let me out…PLEASE!" She hoped this would attract someone's attention to come over and let her out. "Don't leave me in here!"

But after a few minutes of banging and shouting, her energy decreased and her throat ran dry. What was she thinking pounding on the door anyway? All she would have done was made someone outside angrier enough to carry out a number of threats. Now she knew a break through attempt was not a bright idea. Grace felt ashamed of herself for what she did. If only she hadn't been stupid enough to jump through that fence in the first place, then maybe she wouldn't be in this cellar. Down here it was dark and lonely compared to the outside atmosphere. And it was more than she could handle.

Stepping down the stairs with her hind legs dragging their chains, somewhere inside her Grace could feel a huge sob welling up. And then she stopped it by taking a deep breath and letting go. Despite the darkness of the cellar, Grace saw that this room was filled with a few barrels and boxes of nothing more than wine as she had guessed, but no food possibly. The humans must have kept the food in a different place that she did not know about. And because of her carelessness, she would be getting no food or water today. Huddling herself into a dark corner, she attempted to get comfortable by sitting on her haunches, despite the coldness of the dirt floor. So this is what it's like being trapped in the cellar all locked in. And even though Chuck wasn't that polite to her, this is what he only wanted to warn her about.

Grace felt terrified of being alone in a dark room such as this. The only light she could see were the rays of the sun peering through the cracks of the wooden doors above. It was also her freedom flying away into the sunset, never to be seen again possibly. She couldn't breath and the darkness seemed to be closing in on her. Closing her eyes tightly, tears trailed down her cheeks. Grace had never felt so sad, frightened, and troubled like this before. Well not since she had spent her first two and half months on earth with a cruel owner who abused her physically. Now it was back to being locked in a dark lonely room with no chance of escaping.

"What have I done to deserve this?" Grace asked herself, collapsing on the cold floor sobbing. "What else have I done wrong?"

Outside she could hear voices talking amongst themselves of something that was none of her concern. It must have been a discussion about the profit of how much money this coal was bringing them. That's pretty much all working folks ever talked about, the income of profit. This mattered little to Grace since she had no use for money at a time like this. Being brave was becoming harder by the minute. Her wounded pride became a knife in her chest.

"Every time I try to escape or fight back, why must it end up like this?" Grace muttered sadly, sniffling. "Maybe Marcus is right. Maybe there is no escape."

Soon a pang of homesickness hit her heart as she let more tears fall. But at least she didn't have to worry about hiding her sad feelings from anyone outside while being trapped down here. It was the only relief she felt. In her mind, she pictured all of her friends on the Patch of Heaven farm welcoming her into their lives on the very first day of her arrival. Nobody scorned or shunned her for being different. They were all kind enough to accept her.

"No, I can't just give up," Grace finally spoke with a little confidence. "One way or another, I will get out of here. It won't be easy, but I must have patience."

At first she felt a bit of confidence, until Grace suddenly felt a wave of doubt seep in. How can she say something like that to herself when she was so unsure of how the next couple of days might turn out? To her, being locked down here as punishment was starting to feel worse than being whipped. Overtime Grace believed she could handle as many floggings given her. Or at least that's what she wanted to believe. But she would never allow herself to bellow or moan whenever they were inflicted on her hide. It's likely that was what the enemy wanted her to do. At a time like this, Grace would have preferred being whipped than to be locked in the dark cellar.

"But I don't know what else to do," Grace whispered, more tears sliding down from her eyes. "And I feel so alone."

This was all too much for Grace to handle as she went on weeping. She couldn't help feeling overwhelmed and scared of the unknown events soon to come. It made her want to hide herself deeper and deeper so that no one will tease, hurt, or ever scorn her again. But if she did that, what if it made her a coward? Now she was more confused than ever as her mind flooded with swirling feelings overflowing her entire body. First there was the stress of trying to make the best of things while figuring out a method of escape. Then she felt ashamed of refusing to listen to Chuck. And most of that negative feeling was fear of the unknown. Worst yet, there was no one down in this dark cold cellar to comfort her and let her know that everything would be alright. Grace sniffled and choked down the last of her remaining sobs. Judging by the wet tear drops soaked on the dirt ground under her nose, she had been crying for quite a while now. Soon afterward when she had no more tears to shed, a tired out Grace soon fell into a deep sleep where she found herself to be walking through a world of never ending clouds of gray fog.

"Mamma, Mamma!" Grace called out through the fog hoping to find Orchid. "I need your help. Things haven't been going too good lately. And I don't know what to do. Where are you?" There was nothing but silence to answer her calls. Looking warily around her, there was no sign of any deer in the fog. What if she was in the wrong place?

"What's troubling you dear?"

Grace spun around, her eyes and mouth wide to see her foster mother standing behind as if she appeared out of thin air.

"Mamma, how did you find me so fast?"

"Grace, you know I am always with you whenever you need me," Orchid reminded her, smiling. "In your heart, I will never leave. Now tell me what's wrong."

Grace heaved a heavy sad sigh before she began to explain what happened today with as much information as she could recall. Deep down, she hated telling her what happened at the corral, wondering if Orchid might already be disappointed in her for losing her mind.

"So that's what happened," Grace finished, tears filling her eyes again as her lips trembled a bit. "You must be disappointed in me. I'm sorry." There was no point in defending herself.

Rather than frown, Orchid kept her sweet gaze and gently lifted Grace's chin so that her tearful eyes met up with hers.

"Grace, you know I love you, even when you make a mistake," Orchid said, steadying her voice. "Everyone makes mistakes growing up. Even I made a few. All you have to do is learn from them so you don't keep hurting yourself like this. So don't go on blaming yourself for what happened at how this all started. Think about your friends."

"I know you're right but…" Grace trailed off, biting her lower lip. "But I feel so scared and alone. I don't know how many unkind words I can take."

Losing self-control, Grace broke down crying on the ground. She felt Orchid lower herself down on her left to snuggle closely beside Grace for warm comfort. Like any loving mother, Orchid licked Grace behind her head as her tears softened up.

"You're not alone," she whispered kindly. "I'm here when you need me. Just turn my way and I'll be there."

For the rest of the day, Grace had no choice but to stay down in the locked cellar until Mitch or someone came to lead her back inside. Hopefully they hadn't forgotten about her. Somehow, Grace knew she had to try and stay strong for her friends.

**AN**: _Looks like trying to stand strong isn't always as easy as we sometimes think. It takes time and courage. Anyway, I hope this chapter turned out well. The next update might take a little while longer, but it won't be forever. My computer hours will have to be during the evening._


	24. Following the Outlaws

**Chapter 24: Following the Outlaws**

As Grace felt herself wake up, she thought that she heard the click of the cellar doors unlocking. The sound was so small that Grace thought she was either still asleep or only imagining what she wanted to hear; especially when she heard footsteps coming down. What she didn't know by this time was that the sun outside had already sank below the horizon and Mitch had come to take her back in the mines.

"Alright, up with you now," Mitch ordered, tying a rope around her neck. "C'mon, it's late already and your time is up."

Grace struggled to wake herself as she rose up with Mitch leading her back out of the cellar. She had been conscious only of hearing her caretaker's demanding voice and following it all the way up the walkway and into Shaft A. The walk back to her prison room was pretty long, but soon Mitch brought her there and forced her to sit on her haunches.

"Sorry yah had to stay down in the cellar all day without food," said Mitch lowly, as he chained her neck. "But Shirley said yah needed to be taught a lesson. So if I were you, I would think twice next time if yah don't wanna go back down there again."

After he chained her front ankles, he left her alone without another word. Grace scratched the sleep grit from her eyes for a better vision. She saw that her back legs remained shackled this entire time and would not come off at anytime. She had sighed in frustration and disappointment. Nothing in this slave imprisonment seemed possible. How would she ever find a way out?

"Humph, that stupid bully Mitch doesn't scare me that easily," Grace snorted, lying on the ground from fatigue of that long nap down in the cellar. "He may be bigger than me, but size doesn't matter when I have the chance to outrun him…if I weren't chained up all the time."

"Mitch ain't so stupid missy."

Grace jumped a bit from being startled by a voice, her chains rattling softly. She turned to her right and found Marcus the donkey standing beside her with a silver tin bucket of grain, filled halfway.

"Shhh," Marcus shushed her. "Not so loud missy. Yah might wake whomever is sleepin' in these mines." He pushed the bucket in front of her. "Here, I thought yah might still be hungry."

"But how did you get out without getting caught by Mitch?"

"Long story short, one o' the miners left the gate unlocked and Mitch always sleeps outside the mines wherever he's at," Marcus answered, shrugging his shoulders. "So hurry up and eat. I don't have all night to stay down here yah know."

"Um, thanks I guess," was all Grace could say as she started to eat what was left of the grain. She guessed that Marcus hadn't been able to finish the rest of his own meal when he thought about her being locked up as punishment for trying to escape. As much as Grace didn't feel much like eating, she was still hungry after all. Soon she ate it all, trying desperately not to wolf it down so much. Having nothing to eat all through the day made her hungrier than ever. She pushed the empty bucket back to Marcus. "Thanks again. I guess I should've just listened to Chuck before I tried jumping the fence. It was really stupid of me to do that." She felt shameful.

"Don't worry bout it Grace," assured Marcus. "Everybody makes mistakes sometimes. But Chuck feels responsible bout what happened after Mitch threw yah down in the cellar. He didn't intend for that to happen when he expected you to just accept this place as your new home. In fact, he don't mean to hurt anybody emotionally. But he does feel guilty for what he said."

"I can forgive him this once," Grace said, trying to smile as her way of saying she was not angry with Chuck or any of the donkeys for what happened. "But now I know it's not a bright idea trying to escape without a plan."

"That's true," Marcus agreed, sitting on his haunches for a small talk. "Well if you're still desperate to wanna escape this place and get back home, I would advise yah not to fight back anytime soon or you'll likely be sent back to the cellar…or who knows what."

Grace nodded her head. Marcus was right about trying not to rebel. Even though she would rather die than be Shirley's pet, she couldn't bear the thought of how her friends would miss her terribly if they never found any trace of her. But she also remembered that Shirley had no intention of doing away with her at anytime if she ever desired for a herd of golden cattle to rise. Then again, she would have to obey the enemy as best as she can, whether she wanted to or not.

"I don't wanna stay here any longer," Grace admitted, staring at the ground. "But I guess I have no choice, do I?" She stared humbly at her chains.

"Not without knowin' your enemies any better," Marcus advised. "Sometimes in order to defeat your opponent, all yah have to do is find out their weakness and use it against them."

"Do you know Shirley's weakness?"

"No, but I heard her once mention that she can't stand the sweet scent o' wildflowers. She's strongly allergic to them."

_Wildflowers_? Grace thought curiously. _Hmm, well at least I know one of her weaknesses. But there are no wildflowers outside this mine, dang it. That won't be much help at all as long as I'm a prisoner. Better just keep an eye on Shirley and find out what else she hates if that should ever get me out of here_.

"Would yah like me to bring yah water?" Marcus inquired, also noticing her bruised eye. "Yah might wanna soak that eye o' yours."

Grace softly touched her black eye and nodded. "I would like that, but what about…"

"…Mitch? Don't worry bout him. I told yah, he sleeps outside the mines when it's time for lights out and never comes back till mornin'. And don't worry bout me either. I won't be gone long."

By the sound of his reassuring voice and smile, Marcus walked out quietly with the empty bucket. It was as if he was actually telling her that he wasn't afraid of being caught or punished. He felt sorry enough to risk coming down and not let her starve by sharing his meal from whence he had not finished earlier. When he returned with water and a washcloth, Grace drank before dipping the washcloth in to place on her black eye. It was relieving to finally have something cold and wet clear away the pain that remained inside. She had hoped it wasn't infected already. Most black eyes took a couple of days to heal up. Although the pain inside was searing, it was nowhere near infected as she might have feared.

"How long have yah had that black eye?"

"At least three days," Grace said sadly, the washcloth still over her right eye. "It all happened after I stood up to Fire Bolt. That big bully packs a hard punch I can tell you that. I guess that's what happens when you stand up to bullies."

"Well sometimes it ain't that simple tryin' to stand up a bully like him," Marcus agreed. "Bullies come in all shapes and sizes. Fire Bolt might be big and tough on the outside, but in truth he's weaker than those he pushes around for his own pleasure. He'll never be as strong hearted and good as you are if he keeps up with this bullyin' and pushin' around. I've been bullied when I was a young colt, but by my Ma and Pa's advice, I learned to show'em by doin' my best and ignored the rest. I even had friends close beside to help me stand up to them."

"You know, you're right," Grace said softly, rubbing her eye. "Even if I can't stand up to Fire Bolt alone, I know I'm stronger than him on the inside. One way or another, he and his boys will be sorry. And especially Shirley, Mitch, and the Yeller Gang…somehow." At first she sounded determined. Then she let out a frustrated sigh feeling unsure of herself or what she said.

Marcus could only stare at her pitifully, not knowing what else to say to help her. All he could do was promise that he and the other donkeys will talk more of this tomorrow and walked out with the empty bucket and washcloth. Even with Mitch out of the mines, Marcus knew he had to get back to the other donkeys before he accidentally fell asleep and someone found him down with Grace in the morning. He would have felt worse for getting her in trouble if he didn't head back right away.

* * *

_In Sun Valley Town_

By the time the next morning arrived, the adventurers somehow managed to make it out of the woods with Rusty tracking the scent along the trail. Everyone had a good laugh from last night to ease their worries and troubles, but now was not the time for any more jokes until they were to find another clue of some sorts to lead them to Grace. It wasn't too long before the group found the road leading to Sun Valley Town. The landscape surrounding the town was beautiful compared to Chugwater. It made the travelers rejoice in leaving the wet region and its many dangers behind. They passed by the sign labeled _Welcome to Sun Valley Town_ as they entered. From the sights of all the passing townspeople, horses, and wagons, there didn't seem to be much of anything important to find for clues.

"Well where should we start looking now?" Maggie inquired, feeling frustration build up from not finding anything. "Doesn't look like we're gonna get anything from these busy people."

"Hmm," Rusty mumbled thoughtfully. "We should start findin' the post office to look for this Paul fella. He might help us out a little."

Despite their frustration and tiredness from the long walks, nobody ever dared to complain any further. There were already far more important things to focus on. And even if it's possible that they might never find anything in this town, they had now already come this far and were not about to give up. However, when they finally found the post office, no horses stood outside.

"WHAT, no mail horses on duty today!" Lucky Jack gasped. "What is today, Sunday or a holiday?"

"Perhaps they're just out with their other deliveries," Mrs. C guessed. "If we can't find Paul, why don't we try the sheriff's office instead? Buck might be there."

"Good thinking Mrs.C," Maggie agreed. "I almost forgot about Buck for a second. If he's here, maybe he's found out something we don't know."

As the adventurers were heading straight ahead to find the sheriff's office, Maggie's right ear caught a few words from what she thought she heard behind the general store building they nearly passed.

"…that's enough lumber for Miss Stoneheart's ranch for now. We'll buy some more later on."

Maggie swung around and got close to where she could peer carefully to listen closely. There were two men gathering piles of hay in their arms to carry back to the wagon. In the back were piles of lumber tied together neatly as the men were covering them with the hay.

"Cover this here lumber as much as yah can," one of them said. "Don't wanna arouse suspicion from anyone with all this stuff hangin' out. Remember what the boss mentioned, Miss Shirley desires the finest piece o' lumber to build her ranch if she is to be the first baroness to ever raise n' breed a whole herd o' golden cattle in the state o' Texas. It won't be so hard for her makin' a fortune outta them."

Maggie furrowed her brow when the words _Miss Stoneheart_, _Miss Shirley_, and _golden cattle_ caught her suspicious feelings. Her eyes widened in surprise when it wasn't hard for her to realize that they were referring to Shirley Stoneheart, the bandit queen. And unless she was mistaken, there was no doubt they were talking about Grace when they spoke of golden cattle. Those two must be the kidnappers. There was no other explanation. Heart hammering, Maggie wished that she had the ability to turn invisible in order to get closer for a better hearing. But she stayed where she was and kept listening closely for a bit more information.

"And to think that once we snatched that heifer from Chugwater, we thought Shirley was only interested in takin' her coat. She might've been worth nothin' afterward. Bet we'd be makin' some money ourselves if we raised our own line o' golden cattle."

"Shhh!" the other man clamped his partner's mouth shut and put a finger to his mouth. "Don't talk so loud, even out here. Someone might be eavesdroppin' on us. Now let's go fetch some more hay before we get this here wagon goin' on the double." The men walked away from the wagon to gather more hay from wherever they got the rest.

"So they're the kidnappers," Maggie said angrily. "And it looks like we found ourselves a ride that'll lead us to Grace. I better go tell the others quickly."

"Tell us about what Maggie?"

Maggie turned to find Mrs. Calloway, Lucky Jack, Rusty, and Buck suddenly standing before her. There was not that much time to explain when Maggie instructed them to follow her and jump in the back of the large wagon to cover themselves with the hay. Luckily it wasn't tight or uncomfortable when they jumped in, despite that Maggie, Mrs. C, and Buck were large in size. But there was no other way to hitch a ride to Coal Mine Canyon. This might be their one and only chance. It was either hitch a ride or be out of options.

"That's bout it Hickory," a voice spoke outside. "Now let's get outta here before someone catches us."

That's when the group could feel the wagon start to move as it reared and teetered down the trail to their final destination.

**AN**: _At last another update. Again, sorry for the long wait. I've been distracted and busy with some art projects I was working on. But hopefully it shouldn't take me long to write the next chapters to finish this story. How will it end? Just wait and see._


	25. Another Unexpected Surprise

**Chapter 25: Another Unexpected Surprise**

That morning at Coal Mine Canyon, Shirley decided to give Grace one more chance in the corral outside, but not without keeping the same shackles chained to her hind legs as a precaution. And this time, Shirley sent a skinny miner over to guard the two corrals in case Grace tried to climb over again. For Grace, it wasn't that bad a day, even though she was not in a good mood. But at least she didn't have to pull the cart and the donkeys were polite enough to let her eat most of the grain they were given that morning. Even if they weren't much help with helping her find a way to escape, Grace didn't blame them one bit; especially when they were afraid of harsh punishment, except for Marcus who snuck in food for her last night without getting caught. He just couldn't bear to have her suffer from starvation and thirst when she urgently needed it.

"Sorry bout what I said yesterday miss," Chuck apologized, chewing some grain. "I never knew you was gonna try jumpin' the fence. Perhaps we just got off on the wrong foot."

"It's alright Chuck," muffled Grace, her mouth half filled. Her tone was gentle and friendly meaning that she had already forgiven him. "Me, I'll never do a stupid thing like that again to prove myself. Today, I'm just gonna try to get used to living here for a while." Then she said in her determined and stubborn mind, _until I figure out a way to plan my escape_.

"Well it's nice to hear that missy," Chuck said, surprised by hearing this. "Me and the boys don't like livin' here, but that's not up to us to decide. Trust us, you'll get used to it in no time."

Grace could only give a short nod while she ate. It wasn't the kind of advice she wanted to hear in this corral, but what more could she expect from anyone in this dreaded mine territory. Now she knew that jumping out of the corral would not get her anywhere, unless she wanted to spend another day in the dark cold cellar. While Grace ate, she didn't notice or hear the gate swing open as the donkeys turned to see Mitch standing there with five more men holding ropes in their hands.

"Time for your mornin' showers," Mitch stated, stepping inside with the men following. Each of them tied a rope around their necks to lead them out.

"Bath time's today?" Fred piped up. "I thought it was tomorrow."

"Must be a change o' plans," Bernie guessed.

"You too bovine," Mitch snarled, surprising Grace by swinging the lasso tightly around her neck.

Grace felt startled by the sudden grip, almost choking on her meal. Luckily she swallowed in time before Mitch gave another hard yank and led her out the corral. What had she done wrong this time?

"What's going on, where're they taking us?" Grace whispered to Bernie.

"Weren't yah listenin' to what they said?" Bernie snorted. "They're takin' us down to the creek for our baths."

"Bath time, just what I need from my enemies," Grace moaned, knowing that she didn't like having enemy hands touch her while being bathed.

"What's wrong with wantin' to be clean?"

"Nothing, I just rather prefer being bathed by my other kind owner, and not by these big brutes."

"I see your point. But whatever happens missy, don't ever fight back."

_Oh I won't, not yet that is_, Grace thought to herself as she trudged along with the donkeys beside her. _I'll never accept that this place is my new home, because it isn't_.

In almost half an hour, the men had reached a broad, wide flowing river that seemed to cut them off from the other side. But they did not reach the place to cross it. Their job was to make sure the animals got clean. This was done once a week to keep the animals from getting sick or else there would be no one strong enough to pull the carts.

"Scrub them nice n' clean now men," Mitch ordered, slapping his palms together. "Move it now!"

Grace stared at the flowing river and its currents, fearing that she and the donkeys were about to be pushed in and drowned. But instead of stepping foot in it, she viewed Mitch and the miners grab silver pails to fill them with water. Then unexpectedly, the water was poured on top of the animals one by one. Grace was the last one to have water poured all over her by Mitch. Her eyes shut tight to prevent liquid from entering. Mitch grinned maliciously as he took a sponge from his pocket and dipped it to start scrubbing her on the side roughly. This Grace did not take a liking to; especially when he was starting to scrub at her face, close to her bruised eye.

"Hold still you!" Mitch snapped, trying to get Grace to turn her face to him. "Behave yourself or I'll have the men hold yah down!" Then Grace stopped squirming and reluctantly let Mitch scrub the rest of her.

The poor blond heifer felt angry and sad when she looked to see the other men clean the donkeys from head to foot, without struggling to escape. They didn't like being handled roughly either. For every animal in the mines, bath time was one of the things they didn't like, because of this. The only good thing about this was that Grace was glad to be rid of the sweaty stickiness that she endured during her first day here. She stood uncomfortably, drenching like a wet wash cloth quite exhausted with fatigue and hunger of not having enough to eat from yesterday. To Grace, being bathed along with other donkeys next to her was now starting to feel like being forced to take a shower with other inmates at a prison camp.

"Alright, that's enough o' that," Mitch announced minutes later. "Take these four legged runts back to the corral."

The miners led the drenched donkeys and Grace away from the river. Their wet coats left a watery trail behind on the rocky ground. But the men knew the sun would eventually dry them off on the way back.

* * *

At last the group of miners was able to reach the corral under the shadows of Coal Mine Canyon. By now the animals' coats were only half dry as they went in and allowed the men to close the gate behind. Then the men left without a care.

One by one, the donkeys decided to shake the bits of water off their coat, sprinkling the ground like rain drops, except for Grace. Due to the hot temperature of the day, she'd rather have herself be cooled and let the weather dry it recently as she ate the rest of her meal quietly. There was really nothing else for her to discuss with Marcus or the other boys for the rest of the day. Although the donkeys here were not bad company, Grace felt safe in here as long as she didn't try to do anything stupid like jump the fence without thinking. She kept that thought as a reminder to herself. It was complicated to figure out which was worse, being whipped for bad behavior, being locked in the cellar, or working until you dropped. It was all of the above for Grace of course. Life here in the mines was boring, dreadful, complicated, and dismal for all the working animals, including her. Only the miners were enjoying themselves as they worked to either impress Shirley or for a high payment since she was usually paying them well. Money was the only thing important to them and nothing else, not even the lives of her and these boys in the corral. All these terrible situations in Coal Mine Canyon were nearly unbearable enough to drive her crazy. So she didn't truly understand how the donkeys might be handling it. What could be worse? In her troubled mind, Grace feared that question most of all due to all the unexpected things that happened so far since her first day here.

Lost in her thoughts, Grace was now unaware that Miss Shirley had just arrived and entered the corral, carrying something in her left gloved hand. The blond heifer didn't even look up until she felt something strap around her neck in a small click. She had a startled look across her face to find her new mistress standing beside her, arms on hips, with her crimson lips smiling cruelly.

"How'd yah like the new collar I bought yah?" Shirley asked in a mocking tone. "It fits just your size. And it almost matches the color on your hide."

So that's what this thing around her neck was. It was a golden brown color with a gold tag labeled _**Property of the Golden Shoe Ranch**_.

_Wait a minute, what's a Golden Shoe Ranch_? Grace thought fearfully. _There is no such_…_oh my goodness, please don't tell me it's what I think it is_. As if reading her mind, Shirley maintained.

"Once my ranch is built, that's the name folks will know what to call it by." She pointed to the label on the gold tag.

Her face turned pale to find out that her guess had been proven right. But that wasn't all Shirley had to say when she had then taken out a brown leather halter from behind her back and swiftly threw it around Grace as she continued.

"And all I need to do afterward is give myself a new name, new identity, so that no lawman will ever know that this soon-to-be cattle baroness was once an outlaw by the name o' Shirley Stoneheart," Shirley spoke with such great pride that it made Grace's blood run cold. What was this crazy woman in on? "Come with me now!" With the halter being attached to a rawhide rope underneath the chin, Shirley gave a hard tug to force Grace to follow her. "I got a nice surprise for yah today."

_A surprise_? Grace was flabbergasted, knowing that no amount of surprise from Miss Shirley could ever be good. In fact, it was nothing new to her. Apart from her first couple of days of being captured, every surprise from her enemies had her punished, restrained, and taken further away from her real home. Grace was getting sick of it. _Now what is going on through Shirley's mind? I've had enough surprises from her today, and I'd rather not deal with whatever it is she's thinking about. I'm not going anywhere_.

Grace stood still, refusing to budge. It seemed to go well at first, until the halter starting searing at her face, the harder she pulled back.

"You can't fight back!" Shirley growled, keeping a good hold on the rope. "Now get over here!"

It didn't work as Grace hoped. Her face hurt with pain, even as she regretfully followed Shirley out of the corral and into the mines where they walked out through the entrance and down the rocky steps. Grace watched Shirley unfold an umbrella to keep the sun from shining down on her.

"Glad you're all cleaned up, cause I'm takin' you to the fair!"

**AN**: _For those readers who have enjoyed this story, I am very very very very sorry that I took long updating this story. I had some complications over holiday break and have been distracted by my animation projects. I know I could have just updated this story anytime, but sometimes I get stuck on a scene and don't know how the middle or the ending should go. So I apologize if this story had taken forever to complete since I first published it. But now I no longer have a problem with how the ending should go. I just hope the next update doesn't take too long. I'll try to make sure of that. And be prepared, because this story is almost about to come to a close with at least five chapters to go. _


	26. A Prison Break Out

**Chapter 26: A Prison Break Out**

The wagon rode on between two narrow canyon walls several hours later, heading toward a mine of busy workers picking away at rocks. The workers minded their own business as the two riders pulled the wagon to a stop in front of a large plateau where the shade covered them.

"AH-CHOO!"

"Bless you partner," said Hickory, jumping off.

"Who're yah talkin' to?" Gene asked confusedly.

"To you o' course," Hickory responded firmly. "Who else coulda sneezed?"

"Well it sure wasn't me that's for sure."

"Hold up partner, if you didn't do it…" slowly Hickory turned his head to the back of the wagon, staring at it suspiciously.

Gene was about to ask what was up before being shushed by Hickory who quietly instructed him to follow to the back. Jumping in, the two were preparing to poke their heads inside until a bunch of animal hooves suddenly shot out and pulled them in by surprise. The sound of beating, punching, and pounding hammered repeatedly underneath the shaking hay. After the beating, Maggie, Mrs. Calloway, Rusty, Lucky Jack, and Buck jumped out one at a time.

"That's for kidnapping poor Grace!" Mrs. C spat at the pile of hay where the two outlaws were unconscious. "What should we do with these two ruffians?"

"We leave them here for now," Rusty suggested. "It'll be hours before they wake up again."

"Hey, who's back there?"

Two brown donkeys responsible for being forced to pull the wagon in the first place, stood in front tied with reins. The animals were in luck. Rusty was the first to speak.

"Howdy there, listen fellas, we ain't got much time for an introduction, but do any o' you know bout this here purty blond bovine…answers to the name o' Grace. We're friends o' hers."

The donkeys thought silently for a second until the one on the left spoke up. "So you're the ones she's been talkin' bout all this time. Yeah we know her. But…"

"Really, is she inside?" Mrs. Calloway interrupted hastily. "We have to get in and help her out of there."

"Now hold up there missy," the brown donkey asserted. "If any o' you are thinkin' o' steppin' inside that there canyon mine, I'd think again. With that many miners up there at every opening, you're bound to get caught."

"What, why is that?" Maggie questioned. "Our friend just got captured several days from now, and we came a long way to bust her out. So I think we deserve an explanation and an answer on how we get inside; because we're not leaving without our friend." Her tone was firm and serious.

The other donkey on the right sighed in defeat. "Well…I hate to break it to ya'll, but your friend…" Before he could explain, other voices could be heard close by, causing the animals to hide behind the wagon.

"Who woulda thought workin' in the mines could be this tirin'," a voice complained. "I'm sweatin' like a barn hog."

"I know, but what else do yah expect?" another voice debated. "Besides I'm doing all this for Miss Shirley since she pays a fair toll."

"Somehow I can't help but wonder if all these folks are only workin' themselves off just to impress her. I hate to say it but if she weren't so purty and all, we wouldn't be here."

The other voice decided to change the subject. "Well there's this one story my grand daddy used to tell me at bed time bout a ghost that lurks deep within the mines o' Coal Mine Canyon and haunts the place to this very day. Those who believed the story left in fear o' meetin' the same fate as the ghost o' the miner. I guess that would explain the reason why this mine became abandoned years back, but since it is in use once more, there don't seem to be any sign o' no ghost at all. So much for tall tales, let's get back to work."

The donkeys who were the only ones that watched the two men saw that one of them had been carrying a long white towel over his shoulder, wiped his forehead, and threw it at the wagon, thinking that it was one of those wagons that carried dirty clothing to wash them some place. Lucky Jack dashed out from hiding, picking up the sheets as an idea struck him.

"Folks," he smiled. "I have an idea."

Everyone gathered around to hear the plan to get inside. Although the donkeys were a bit reluctant about getting involved with putting them in danger, Grace's friends were determined to do whatever it takes, no matter how hard it might be. Before they could go in, the donkeys gave important details about every tunnel being guarded during the day, meaning that it would take a smaller animal or two to get in unnoticed. As long as there were men working day and night, no animal inside would ever get out, especially with the locked pens. Other big problems to worry about were Mitch and the Yeller Gang's horses. The two went on to explain how Mitch barely slept at night, patrolling the tunnels while carrying a rifle and a whip at all times. He had a good sense of hearing that can pick up even the tiniest sound from afar. If they ever wanted to get passed him, he would have to be lured away somehow to be knocked out hard. As for the horses, they are always on the alert for anything suspicious and will likely whinny at the sight of Buck, Maggie and Mrs. C since they're big enough to be spotted. If they ever wanted to make this task simpler, the miners needed to go. Once again, they put their plan into action, not giving one of the donkeys a chance to explain what happened to Grace. Her friends were still too determined and desperate to get more answers inside.

* * *

The miners from outside kept picking and hammering, minding their own business. Not one of them even bothered to notice an upside down bucket and a white clothe sneak in the tunnel undetected while their back was turned.

Buck and the girls smiled from behind another large boulder. The first part of their plan was working. Now all they had to do was wait for the signal before entering.

Meanwhile the cloth and bucket popped out of their hiding place right after two miners passed by with their picks. They went in hiding and sneaking between other objects, until they were finally in the darkest tunnel where no one saw them.

Everybody kept on working and talking unaware of what was about to happen.

"WWWWHHHHOOOOOO!"

"Was that you Moe?" asked a skinny miner.

"No, and it don't sound human either," answered the chubby pale faced man.

"Then who was…?"

"WWWWHHHHHOOOOOO!"

Those who worked a few feet from the dark tunnel were suddenly startled by the mysterious moan coming from within. The eerie moan grew louder and louder causing the miners to step back in fear. A few had been arguing over who should go down there and investigate. Those who refused had run off scared. The next unexpected thing that happened was an odd sort of glow lighting up and moving its way toward the miners, revealing a bit of ghostly white.

"IT'S A G…GHOST! One of the miners started running and screaming off in terror, followed by several other miners. Their screaming attracted the attention of miners who were still working in other tunnels. "EVERYBODY RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

The remaining workers curious and confused by the sudden fright of the scared miners went down anyway believing this to be some kind of joke. The moment they saw the same thing, their eyes went wide as they shook with fright.

"LLLEEEAAAVVVEEE…ALL WHO DARE ENTER THIS HERE MINE! LEAVE OR SHARE MY FATE IN THE DARKNESS! LLLEEEAAAVVEE!" The eerie moan turned into diabolical, mocking laughter as the men suddenly screamed and took off to leave this haunted mine, fearing that all this mining has disturbed the presence of a supernatural force. This frightening situation went on for several minutes with more miners investigating and running straight out of Coal Mine Canyon as if they were running away from a great big flood. The gang had smiled to find that Plan A had already worked. All they had to do was keep an eye out to make sure all the miners were running out of the mines until there were none left. The sight of these men running off like cowards made them laugh, to think that they would all be that easily fooled to believe that there was a ghost haunting the mines.

"DON'T LET THE GHOST CATCH ME. I'LL NEVER GO MININ' AGAIN!"

"WHO WOULDA THOUGHT COAL MINE CANYON'S A RESTIN' PLACE FOR THE DEAD!"

Mitch, overhearing the commotion all the way from the corral marched up to find out what was up with everyone yelling and screaming.

"Now what's all the ruckus up there?" he snorted.

He had just come back from feeding the donkeys and two horses. Only Fire Bolt and two others remained absent, meaning that the rest of the Yeller Gang was out somewhere on business. By the time Mitch returned to the mines, everyone was gone. Not a single miner was around anywhere as far as he had seen; except for two remaining miners who passed by in terror.

"Where'd yah think you're goin' men?" Mitch demanded.

"There's a ghost in the mines!" one of the two answered, before dashing out of there for good.

"A GHOST!" Mitch said in disbelief.

He turned around when he heard a moan coming from within the mine. But rather than feel scared like all those other cowardly miners, Mitch walked down to follow and listen for it, thinking that someone had been playing some kind of weird joke on the others so that he may have Shirley all to himself.

"Alright the jig is up partner!" Mitch shouted to whoever he suspected was hiding. "I don't know what you're doin' down there playin' some sort o' game, but it sure ain't funny. So come out before I get real steamed up!"

When no one responded, Mitch grew enraged as he curled his fists. Then a strange sort of bark echoed in the darkest tunnel and Mitch figured that must be where the prankster must be hiding. Whoever it was, Mitch couldn't wait to give this ruffian a piece of his mind.

"Hmm," Mitch mumbled. "I thought you'd be hidin' in there. Here I come or my name ain't Mitch."

He continued marching madly down the hallway leading to the dark tunnel. Despite the darkness inside, Mitch spotted an odd sort of glow inside a cart and sneered. When he got closer, there was a large white cloth covering the light. Removing it, the one thing Mitch found underneath was a lit up lantern. Mitch was puzzled, wondering if this thing really had anything to do with the so-called ghost scaring everyone.

Then suddenly, Lucky Jack jumped from behind his head and hit him there as hard as he could to knock him out and cause him to fall into the cart. The rest of the gang had already made their way in at the first signal of Rusty's barking.

"Whoa good knock out there!" Maggie congratulated. "I wonder how long he'll stay down."

All of them looked inside the cart to see Mitch with his eyes crossing and uncrossing. He had been knocked senseless. For the time being, if they hurried up to free all these imprisoned mules and find Grace before he woke up.

"I'd say he'll be down long enough to give us time for us to complete our mission," said Buck. "Maybe we should split up to speed things a little."

"Good thinkin' Buck," agreed Rusty.

So the gang searched and freed every mule found in pens, leaving no corner unsearched. The mules were grateful enough to thank them for their help, being relieved that they were about to get a taste of freedom after all those months of slavery and imprisonment.

"Aw thank you girls," one solid grey donkey congratulated, stepping out of the pen that Maggie just opened. "You don't know how dank and dark these tunnels can be. But where'd you come from…and what happened to all them miners?"

"Let's save the discussion for later gentlemen," said Maggie seriously. "Listen, there's this friend of ours that got kidnapped by this notorious gang of outlaws that go by the name of the Yeller Gang. Do any of you know where we can find her?"

"She'd down in the…"

"…at the county fair in Dust Grove Town."

Maggie and the other donkeys turned around to find the same two donkeys whom they met at the wagon. Mrs. C, Rusty, Buck, and Lucky Jack stood by them with disappointed and defeated faces.

"Excuse me?" Maggie asked.

"If it's Grace ya'll have been hopin' to rescue, she ain't here. Sorry to disappoint you after comin' all this way, but if it weren't for all these interruptions goin' on, I woulda told you a lot sooner."

"We didn't find that out until after we looked everywhere," Buck mentioned, shrugging his shoulders. "All of these tunnels have been searched high and low. Not a single blond heifer in sight."

"What, so that's it?" Maggie's eyes went wide in shock. "We actually went through all that trouble, only to find that she's been taken again? Now what do we do?"

"Now just hold your horses there…no offense partner," the brown donkey looked up at Buck. "I know where this town is. It ain't too far away. Me n' my partner here have been there plenty o' times durin' business trips. So if ya'll wanna go rescue your friend, I suggest that you follow us back to the wagon and don't come out until we say so. Now let's get goin', we'll explain more what's happenin' there on the way."

"Then let's all stop this telling one another and go save Grace from that greedy no-good magpie," Mrs. Calloway shouted courageously.

"YEAH!" everyone shouted altogether.

But before the animals could begin their walk to the wagons, two of the horses belonging to Hickory and Gene suddenly stood in their way, smiling maliciously. It was Champ the liver coated horse and Thunder the white and black spotted appaloosa. How they got out of the corral, no one knew.

"Now where are ya'll thinkin' bout goin' at a time like this?" Champ sneered, kicking a small pebble at one of the mules who stepped back in fright.

Maggie stepped forward bravely. "Step aside Mr. Tough Guy, we got a friend of ours waiting to be rescued. So don't think you're gonna stop us by standing there with only the two of you as your army."

"Oh you must mean that stupid little blond bovine that wouldn't stop whinin' bout missin' her friends," Thunder laughed mockingly. "If you're the ones, then I'm afraid you're a little too late to save her. Shirley now has complete control over her, meanin' she'll never have the courage to fight back again. So why don't you other two heifers get on outta here before we do this th hard way!"

Mrs. Calloway stood up next to Maggie and declared fiercely, "Nobody makes a mockery out of our FRIEND." At that last word, she threw a fierce punch directly at Thunder's face, knocking him back.

"OUCH, THAT HURT!" Thunder moaned. "WHY I OUGHTTA…!" He didn't have a chance to finish before Mrs. C came at him again with another strong punch and a firm kick in the butt that sent him flying out through the tunnel and out of the mine. Champ had gasped at the sight of what he had seen and found himself to be surrounded by almost more than a dozen overworked mules who spent their days being forced to pull the heavy carts day and night. Now the only thing on their mind was to fight back against the one and only bully horse. Knowing he was already outnumbered, Champ made a break for it.

"Sick'em boys!" Lucky Jack encouraged the mules.

No longer feeling rough and tough, the cowardly horse was soon overwhelmed and defeated by the large amount of working animals that jumped all over him outside the mines. The Patch of Heaven gang even got in on the act to teach this thug of a horse a lesson in bullying and picking on the defenseless. But most of all, it was for whatever mockery and spiteful cruelty they might have inflicted on Grace while she was imprisoned.

"Enough now, it's time to get these two to talk!" Buck called out as the donkeys pulled themselves off the horses. The gang gathered around them.

"Alright you two thugs," Maggie snarled at both Thunder and Champ. "Tell us where Shirley took our friend and what does she plan to do next!"

"I'd like to see ya'll try n' force the whole truth outta us missy!" Thunder cried.

It didn't take long for Buck and Mrs. Calloway to call upon the mules to hold the two down altogether with the two cows smiling slightly down upon them.

"I got a question here for you two," Maggie said. "Have any of you heard of a cannonball?"

"What're you talkin' bout?" Champ asked fearfully, not liking the sound of what she mentioned.

"Allow us to demonstrate gentlemen," Mrs. Calloway added.

The horses watched the cows step back from a far distance, pawing the ground. Eyes widening in horror, they quickly realized that the girls were preparing to pounce on them with their enormous weight.

"Oh no, not the cannonball!" Thunder begged. "Anything but that!"

Maggie and Mrs. Calloway were now coming forward at a fast pace. The two couldn't take it anymore.

"Miss Shirley is enterin' your friend in the competition for most gorgeous bovine o' the year!" Thunder cried out. "First prize is $500 and a gold ribbon!"

"And she plans on distractin' them while the Yeller Gang blows up the bank inside to take back what's rightfully her's!" Champ maintained.

Maggie looked down on him in her steely gaze. "Tell us more...Mr. Tough Guy!"

**AN: **_For those who have waited so long to see an update to this story, I'm so so so sorry that it took so long. I got kinda distracted with my other story the Forgotten Five due to all the reviews it got of people wanting to see more. Well now that the story is done, I can finally get back to finishing this story with only at least two or three more chapters to go. I apologize for the delay in updating this story. But let me assure readers that I am no uploading another story until this one is done for good. I know I should have finished this story long ago since it's first update, but I'm not going to let anything else keep me from writing more. I guess I also struggled with what should make a good evil plot or great climax. But now that I have it figured out, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I know I should have mentioned the other names of the outlaws horses sooner, but looks like I got a little editing to make so there isn't too much confusion later on._


	27. Crashing the Fair

**Chapter 27: Crashing the Fair**

It had been an hour and a half since Shirley Stoneheart had taken Grace from Coal Mine Canyon to enter her in a fair being held in Dust Grove Town. The town was only thirty miles from where Coal Mine Canyon was located. She had first started walking for twenty minutes until she finally reached the nearest train station that took only twenty-five minutes to get there. When the ride was over, Shirley had gone to fetch Grace from inside one of the stock cars and moved carefully on the side of the road to avoid the oncoming wagons. Beside Shirley were streams of other folks dressed in their best outfits. Some had cows and steers of different colors to also enter in the contest. All around the fairgrounds were townsfolk walking around, having a good time. Flags were flying and the band was playing. A few folks stared at the shackles binding Grace's back ankles, but shrugged their shoulders not bothering to question Shirley about it. Truth was that Shirley had often visited this town numerous times since it was one of those places where no one has ever heard of her name. During her past visits, most of the folks here nearly focused on only profits and entertainment from whatever fun event happened every month. In this part of Texas, Shirley believed that she had nothing to fear as long as she was able to act manipulative and play innocent. But there were still lawmen there to watch out for as long as she didn't do anything suspicious in front of them. Her next big plan was almost set once she and Grace were in the contest. Some time ago, Shirley had learned from Scar Face Sam that most of her precious belongings were somehow transported over here inside the bank and now she wanted them back to keep safe inside her upcoming ranch. The three bandits would be there to wait for her signal.

By the time she and Grace reached the spot where all contestants signed up, many men were gathered around to check on other cows in their stalls. Some of them stared in awe at her seductive walk as a plump grey bearded man showed Shirley the way to an empty stall to place Grace in. Being one of the judges, he asked her about the shackles, Shirley told him that the poor heifer suffered from a bad condition months ago and had to keep the shackles on to prevent further injury. One more week and the shackles would be off. Believing her story, the judge shrugged his shoulders and moved out to do other important things since there were no rules in the contest against shackles. As for the other citizens that took a look at Grace, none of them felt any type of pity for her, thinking that the shackles weren't that big a deal if it was just one of those safety restraints they've seen before.

After being tied to a pole, Grace looked at her surroundings inside the warehouse. There were at least twenty pens in here filled with a few jerseys, Herefords, Holsteins, longhorns, and Angus types left and right. The cattle seemed to be having a nice time, except her. How else could she put it? Her new mistress was nothing more than a greedy, selfish, unkind woman who made men fall under her spell with her beauty and temptation. Worse yet, the fact that Shirley was a notorious criminal waiting to exploit her made her blood run cold. How else could a woman like Shirley even get away with such crimes? Even listening to the streams of people from outside pouring into the fair grounds did little to help her. As long as these chains bound her ankles, she was a prisoner until her friends came to her rescue…if they ever do find her. There was not even a familiar face to find here at this fair. All of them were strangers possibly ready to sit in the audience and watch as the owners of the cows walked alongside them on stage.

_Look at all those folks having a good time with their laughing and everything_. Grace thought miserably as she turned her head away from the crowd. _They don't even know that I've been stolen away from my real home. Its one thing to have a good time at a fair with friends and family, but Shirley here is no family of mine and never will be. No matter what she says, I belong to Pearl Gesner, not Shirley Stoneheart_. Grace gave an angry look at Shirley, whose back was turned, not noticing this. The woman was too busy talking with folks on telling more lies of whom she was and how she bought Grace from a retired old farm woman. Nobody else asked about the shackles binding her legs. Listening to Shirley talking and lying made Grace look back at her furiously, not knowing how much more of this she could take. If it weren't for this stupid halter, she'd strike out at her, not caring anymore if she would get punished for it later. There was not much more to do in this pen other than eat the hay and wait until the judges called for the contestants. The harder she tugged to free herself from the halter, the tighter and painful it became. It was no use. Then a squeak of a microphone caused all the cows and steers in the pen to turn their heads to the noise coming from the stage behind the curtain. The person in charge of the contest spoke into it.

"Howdy there folks and welcome to the state fair," he boomed. "Today this contest will feature a herd o' some o' the most beautiful bovines to ever be bred in the state o' Texas. Only three will be chosen to participate in the finals. Lucky first winner will be given the gold ribbon and five hundred dollar reward. So will the contestants please come on out and bring out their cattle."

One by one, the contestants stepped out in front of the audience with their cows. When Shirley opened the pen, Grace had been secretly wishing that some sort of miracle would happen any minute now as her new mistress grabbed hold of the reins.

"Let's go, we're up," said Shirley, tugging at her halter.

She and Shirley were the fifth to be led out as the audience applauded for each contestant, seemingly pleased and impressed with every one of these beautiful cows. When Grace stepped out, they thought she was the most beautiful one of all, different from the others. Their applause for her was louder.

"That one's mighty purty…like a sunflower," one white haired chubby man from the audience spoke out.

"I wonder where she came from," one black haired woman whispered loudly. "Sure wish I had a cow like that on my farm."

Hearing these words made Grace smile a bit. Part of her felt glad for this appreciation while the other part still wanted to break free of Shirley and make a run for home. But whatever else happened, she had to make the best of this.

* * *

Meanwhile, several wagons were pulled by a few donkeys up to where all other wagons were parked in the shades of the tents. People were too busy talking and laughing to pay any attention to them or even notice that no one was sitting up front. They looked to see that the warehouse for the contest was gay with flags and colored pictures. That was where they all needed to be. The donkey on the left glanced behind him and uttered.

"We're here."

Hidden beneath the hay, out popped Maggie, Mrs. C, Buck, Lucky Jack, and Rusty. All the other hidden donkeys jumped out from the other wagons to gather around.

"Are we ready to go in there and rescue Grace from the evil temptress?" Maggie said confidently. "I sure am."

"Don't get overconfident too soon now missy," advised Chuck, the silver donkey. "First thing we should do is try n' come up with a plan. Let's go over there and make sure the finals haven't started yet."

The Patch of Heaven gang followed along with the donkeys, passing by the street where there were barely any people walking in these parts. They went slowly past a few tents and a low building where many delicious foods for visitors were cooking. A noise of dishes and rattling pans and folks voices came out of it. Even the smell of fresh vegetables from a stand was attracting Maggie, desperate to have taste. But Mrs. Calloway stopped her by tugging on her bell with her tail.

At the warehouse, the animals watched the competition from behind the seats of the audience. They saw that the contestants were all lined up with their cows as a fat plump man walked by in front of them with his clipboard, writing.

"That must be the judge," Marcus guessed. "By the looks of it, the finals have yet to be decided. We came here just in time."

"Do you see Grace?" asked Maggie.

Marcus got another good look at the contestants with numbers hanging around their necks. He finally spotted Shirley with the number twenty-six. She held on to the reins attached to Grace firmly. Grace looked sadly down on the floor, being the only one at the fair who was not having a good time.

"There she is gang," the grey spotted donkey pointed out. "Number twenty-six, that's the one."

The girls took a look, happy and relieved to see that they finally found Grace alive and well. They were filled with such great joy that the two girls became almost delirious. After all those days since she got captured and taken from them, it had felt like years since they last saw her. But the gang never gave up hope that they would see her again. Now there she was. Yet when Grace turned her head on the left to face the audience on that side, Mrs. Calloway noticed some sort of bright purplish color around her right eye. Her eyes grew wide in shock, realizing that one of the bad guys must have punched her sometime ago.

"Maggie, look there," Mrs. C whispered. "Notice the welt across her right eye?"

Maggie took a good long look and answered angrily. "I sure do. Whoever did that is gonna pay." She shook her hoof.

"It was Fire Bolt who did it," spoke Marcus. "Unless I'm mistaken, he should be hangin' somewhere round the bank with Scar Face Sam and the other two since that's where Miss Shirley plans to strike her next crime."

"Step one, someone should go search for them theivin' bandits while the rest of us stay here n' try to find out how we stop Miss Shirley," said Jake, the other silver donkey with a white mane and white tail. "Plus…"

Before Jake could continue, the animals watched as the judged decided on the finals. "Will the numbers thirty-five, sixteen, and twenty-six please report back out here in thirty minutes for the final judges?" The judge announced.

Perfect, now Shirley was one of the final contestants. The other two final contestants were a tall skinny cowboy in a red shirt, khaki pants, brown cowboy boots, and a khaki vest, holding a Black Angus steer. The other was a blond haired woman in a white long blouse, purple brooch under the collar, and a long silky purple skirt, holding a Hereford heifer. The animals witnessed the three go back to the pens to await the calling. Mrs. Calloway on the other hand also couldn't help but notice that when Grace walked back alongside Shirley, her back ankles were shackled, rattling as the poor dear moved.

"Chains? What kind of competition would allow something like this?" She said angrily. "I would've expected her to be disqualified by now for such madness."

"Well I don't know much bout the rules at the fair," replied Marcus. "But I do know we only got thirty minutes to think of a plan to stop Miss Shirley. Let's see now, it might not be a good idea to bust her outta the pen while Shirley's still watchin' over her. The woman might do somethin' unexpected if she saw us mules…such as triggerin' a revolver." The group became silent for a moment until Marcus thought of something. "I got an idea."

While the audience was still in front waiting, the animals gathered around to use this limited amount of time to focus on their plan before the final contestants were called out. Whether Miss Shirley won or lost the contest, she and the Yeller Gang still needed to be stopped.

* * *

From behind the left side of the bank, a malicious man hid with a handkerchief covering half his face so that no one would notice him. His other men, Carl and Tom stood behind him reluctantly waiting patiently to listen closely for the judge to call upon the finals. On this side of the street where they were at, there were more townsfolk on the other side than here as Sam guessed that nearly everyone on this side went off someplace to have fun, closing up some of the shops. But someone had to still be running the bank, and Sam was prepared just in case. Tom broke the silence.

"Hey boss, ain't it time to step in yet?"

"No, not yet partner," Sam said harshly. "We wait till the judge calls out the finals. That's our signal."

"Got it boss," said Tom.

They waited another five minutes for the announcement. "All finals please step right up for the final round."

"There it is boys, now let's go," Sam whispered in a hushed tone. Stepping out of the buildings shadow, the bandits made their move cautiously inside the bank.

* * *

Back at the warehouse, the final contestants were standing in a straight line as the judges made their marks on clipboards. Grace looked up at Shirley again, seeing a small key around her neck in a gold chain. It must have been the key to the shackles. Yet she didn't expect Shirley to use them on her anytime soon, because after this day at the fair was over, it was back to Coal Mine Canyon where she would remain a prisoner, working long hours until the ranch was built and Shirley would possibly find her a mate that she might never have feelings for. Grace looked down on the floor again, feeling unhappy tears well up and drop to the ground. What was the point in having fun at this fair? Grace already knew that she lost her real friends, her family, and her freedom, all because of her new evil mistress. She felt like giving up hope sometimes, but that would do no good. Things were still tough for her, but Grace knew she couldn't give up, not even today. There had to be way out of this situation somehow. What Grace didn't know yet was that her friends had already come, waiting for the right moment to stop Shirley and rescue her. While the judge was still checking his clipboard, Shirley stole a glance at the bank to see that the bandits already entered after the signal. Her plan was half complete.

"The votes for the winners have been chosen!" The judge announced. "In third place, number sixteen owned by Jane Miller from Sweet Eye Town!"

The other man next to the judge walked over to the blond haired woman to give her a bronze ribbon and the $50 dollars prize. The audience clapped for this.

"In second place, number thirty-five owned by Travis Redford from the town o' Cactus County!"

Applause sounded as the man received the silver ribbon and $100 reward.

"And for the grand prize winner, number twenty-six, Shirley Trailer o' Sun Valley Town!"

The audience clapped even louder as Shirley put her left hand over her chest, feeling a tinge of excitement and triumph to get what she wanted and planned for the whole time. For the first time, Shirley had a fine cow that won her the grand prize. Unfortunately this moment of triumph for her was rather earned in a dishonest way, but Shirley was too selfish to think about it. All that mattered to her was the ribbons and prizes that came with being on top. The judge asked her to step up to him with Grace as he was offering her the gold ribbon and $500 prize.

"Congratulations Miss Shirley, would yah like to say a few words to the audience?"

"Thanks handsome," Shirley replied. "First off I'd like to congratulate some friends o' mine who couldn't show up today due to some important business, but still…"

"AAAGGGGGHHHHHH!"

The audience turned their heads in the direction of the bank. Shirley watched in surprise to see that Sam, Tom, and Carl were being attacked by kicking horse, a basset hound, and the same familiar bunch of donkeys from Coal Mine Canyon. She gasped, wondering how in the west they got out. Unless someone here had known of her whereabouts, the thought gave Shirley a fearful feeling, knowing she had to sneak away from here, with or without her belongings. She would have to come back for them later. Thinking the bandits could take care of themselves, she harshly tugged on Grace's halter.

"Come along you puny heifer!" She snapped. "We're leavin' this place. Our task here is done!"

But Grace refused to move, trying to get a better look of who the animals were over there. At the sight of what she seen, it was Buck, Rusty, and the rest of the working donkeys battling the Yeller Gang. Her eyes weren't deceiving her when she saw those familiar faces. If they were here, then that must mean Maggie and Mrs. Calloway were here too. They had to be. The audience was too distracted by the peculiar fight to pay any attention to how differently the evil Shirley was handling Grace.

"I said come over here yah stupid mangy bovine or I'll thrash your hide!" Shirley snarled, pulling harder on the reins.

Still Grace stood on her ground pulling back, despite that the pressure hurt her face. She was not going anywhere with Shirley, not ever.

Then unbeknownst to Shirley however, a peg leg rabbit hanging onto a rope from above swooped down to snatch up the gold ribbon and money from her left hand. Confused, Shirley looked up again to see him swing back down, blowing a bouquet of flowers in her face. Sniffing, Shirley's nose turned a rather bright pinkish color, and her eyes watered, knowing what it was that she couldn't stand.

"Ah…Ah, ah…ACHOO…ACHOO!" She threw both hands over her nose.

But that wasn't all. From behind Shirley, she failed to notice a familiar chubby cow charge up to head butt her with enough force to send her flying toward the audience seats with a crash. It was Maggie standing beside Mrs. Calloway. Another miracle for Grace.

"You keep you're filthy hands off our friend!" Maggie bellowed at Shirley. "Nobody touches her like that."

"Maggie, Mrs. Calloway, how did you find me?" Grace cried with excitement and joy. "Or better yet, how did you guys get here?"

"Long story Grace," Mrs. Calloway answered. "We'll explain later right after we get you outta here. Come along now."

"Uh right," Grace nodded, following her friends out through the pen area. But she had forgotten about the shackles right after her back legs became entangled in them, causing her to trip and fall on the dirt ground with a thud. The girls skidded to a stop to check up on Grace. "Darn it, I forgot I was still wearing these chains. Shirley still has the key around her neck. We gotta go back and get it!"

"But Grace, we still…" Mrs. Calloway was about to mention that Lucky Jack could just pick at them afterward until the commotion back at the bank interrupted her words.

Helping Grace up, the girls saw from a distance that the three remaining bandits were now down on the ground, knocked out with their eyes rolling. But now the fight was between Buck and Fire Bolt, the bully horse. Cross Eye and Dash were recently ordered by Fire Bolt to stay back and let him do all the fighting.

"Come on fight like a real stallion, Bucko Boy!" Fire Bolt sneered.

"Bucko Boy, I'll show you!" Buck yelled, baring his teeth.

This commotion had brought on a bunch of visitors that stopped what they were doing, confused and a bit disturbed by the sight of two horses viciously attacking each other, rearing up and lashing out with their hooves. Buck reached to snap at Fire Bolt's neck, but the black stallion avoided this. They whinnied at each other while still kicking.

"Grace, is he the one who gave you that black eye?" Mrs. Calloway asked, looking at the black stallion fiercely.

"Well yes, but how did you know?"

"Marcus told us. Listen Grace, follow Lucky Jack back to the train station and wait for us. You'll be safe there. Now go on. He'll pick the locks off your legs."

Unable to argue, Grace obediently started to follow Lucky Jack through the streets of other visitors. Glancing over her shoulder, worried and scared for her friends if they should ever need her help. But even if they did, these shackles needed to come off first. Otherwise she would just keep tripping over the chains. Maybe her friends just didn't want her to get caught in any more trouble than she already had during those couple of days of captivity. Grace guessed that was why they were ordering her to seek safety at the train station, but not alone.

"This way little lady," Lucky Jack pointed to the train station half a black away. "We gotta hurry, but I should unlock those chains with my pickin' skills."

"Good, then I can finally go back and help out my friends," Grace insisted.

"What?" Lucky Jack gasped. "But we're supposed to…"

"…Hide?" Grace finished. "Sorry Lucky Jack, but I'm tired of running and hiding from my own fears. It's time I was to stand up to them once and for all; otherwise I'll never be able to overcome them." She sounded determined and brave. "So promise me that once we get on that train, you're gonna…"

Suddenly a booted foot shot out from behind the shadows of the barber shop, kicking Lucky Jack out of the way. A hand seized hold of Grace's halter and pulled her closer to the figure. It was Shirley holding a gun at her chin.

**AN: **_I will be gone on vacation this Thursday and be back the following Thursday. So I have at least two or three more chapters to go on this story. But even if I don't finish this story in time, I won't be able to get back to work on it until I get back. Hope some of you readers enjoyed this chapter._


	28. Settling the Score

**Chapter 28: Settling the Score**

Grace broke into a cold sweat, keeping her gaze fixed on the barrel of Shirley's gun as the woman tugged on her reins harder than before to drag her out of town. The end had touched her right cheek.

"You're comin' with me bovine!" Shirley said evenly. "Whether yah like it or not, you're gonna do as I say, or else I pull this here trigger." She dug the gun further into Grace, causing the young bovine to be overcome with panic as her heart thudded loudly. "If I can't have yah, no one can. But that ain't gonna happen today. Now move it!"

Not knowing what else to do, Grace shuddered as Shirley forced her to march out, keeping the gun pointed at her head. She couldn't call out for help or fight back like this. Grace moved forward while the gun slipped down to the side of her neck.

_Guys, help me_! Grace called for help inside her mind.

The fight over at the bank was going rather intense for Buck. Fire Bolt was the toughest opponent he ever faced. But he refused to quit, despite that he was beginning to show signs of tiring. Fire Bolt's eyes sparkled with sadistic glee.

"I can see you're no match for my skills Bucko Boy!" He sneered. "Since you ain't much of a challenge, let me just settle this for yah!"

Preparing to rear up for a final attack, Mrs. Calloway was suddenly in his way.

"What's this, more amateurs? Outta the way lady!" Laughing at this cow's foolish defense, Fire Bolt was about to shove her aside only to have Mrs. C slap his hoof away and glared straight into his eyes.

"Now Fire Bolt, explain your behavior regarding our friend…the one whom you deliberately punched…IN THE EYE!" she spoke in a dangerous tone of voice that Maggie couldn't recognize.

Fire Bolt lost half of his triumphant sneer, not liking what he was looking at behind those stern eyes. "Who the blond? I was just keepin' her in line…you know. Hey wait a minute…what am I talkin' to you for? This ain't your fight, so move aside!" He snorted fiercely in her face, mistakenly blowing off her hat.

Maggie knew what was going to happen next. "Uh-oh, here comes trouble." She moved out of the way.

"Huh?" Fire Bolt was about to ask her.

Mrs. C suddenly rushed at the bully horse, charging at him hard in the chest, sending him tumbling backwards and straight into a caramel stand where he crashed. The device holding the sticky stuff broke off and poured all over him. It had been in use for selling caramel apples. Alarmed at this sudden movement, Fire Bolt couldn't believe what just happened. He got beat by a female and now he was covered in sticky caramel.

"Beaten by a female!" he moaned. "This can't be happenin' to me!"

"Who's next?" Mrs. C challenged, putting her hat back on.

Crosseye came forward and swiped at her, but Mrs. Calloway dodged this move and punched him several times as she sent him into the caramel mess with Fire Bolt.

Dash stared at Mrs. C for a second and stepped back in alarm when she gave him the same dangerous look, cracking her knuckles.

"Uh...allow me missy!" Dash pleaded.

The horse jumped over to join Fire Bolt and Crosseye, pouring the same caramel all over himself so he wouldn't have to worry about getting a taste of his own medicine from a furious Mrs. Calloway.

"Hey anybody ever heard of a caramel horse sundae...with sprinkles on top?" Maggie joked.

The girls gave a high five, but it wasn't over yet.

"Somebody help, that woman's got a gun!" a brunette woman pointed at Shirley.

The crowd turned over to see that Shirley was dragging Grace out of town with a gun in hand. The Patch of Heaven gang was startled upon hearing this, wondering how Shirley got around unnoticed too fast. Having no time to figure this out, the animals were on their way to stop that woman. The lawmen took out there guns, preparing to force Shirley to surrender, but Shirley turned around first, poking the gun into Grace's head.

"Drop your weapons or I'll pull the trigger on this here cow!" the woman spat, refusing to let go of the reins. "I'm takin' her with me." She went on as she forced Grace to move backward cautiously and smiled when the lawmen lowered their weapons. Grace felt her heart pounding, worried that the trigger would slip accidentally. "That's it, just slowly lower your guns and don't even think bout tryin' anything stupid on me while I…"

While Shirley had been ranting, she never bothered to turn around and find something big and huge behind her until she felt a snort behind her head. The crowd stared all confused.

"What're ya'll lookin' at?" Shirley demanded. Turning around, she gasped in alarm to find herself staring up at the face of Junior the buffalo.

Next thing that happened, Shirley was hurled over the air screaming and waving her arms around. The area where she landed was the pig pen…right in the mud with a splat. As she got up, the pigs were starting to jump on her like dogs, thinking that someone had come to join in their fun in the mud. Shirley's hair was no longer in a bun. Now it was loose and a bit frizzy. She pushed the pigs away as she opened the gate to get out.

"Get away from me, you filthy, stinkin' swine!" Shirley screeched, kicking at the last pig before closing the gate.

Her dress was now coated in filthy mud which disgusted her. Some of the men who had been blinded by her beauty looked at her in surprise to find that her voice no longer sounded innocent, and neither did her personality.

"Ugh, my dress," she mumbled, trying to wipe the mud off. "Now I gotta get me a new…whoa."

Without warning, Shirley felt herself being hoisted up into the air again, bouncing up and down…on the head of Maggie. With enough bounces, Maggie tossed her over to Mrs. Calloway who then later tossed her to Grace. For the final thrust, Shirley was tossed over to Junior, hurling her over to where she landed on a pile of raspberry pies. Now she became stained with raspberry juice all over her dress. Standing up in a fit of rage, Lucky Jack suddenly came up to her and threw another pie in her face directly. Before he could use the wildflowers on her again, Shirley was ready for him after she quickly wiped the juice off her face. "Oh no yah don't yah little mongrel!" She snarled, seizing him around his torso to squeeze the air out of Lucky Jack.

Quickly thinking, Grace creaked the side of her neck and decided to get behind Shirley while she was angrily fighting off Lucky Jack who now had his foot on her face to wave the wild flowers around. Luckily she was moving backwards as Grace lowered her head and caused Shirley to trip over so that the heifer could carry her and hopefully be able to swing her across the street.

"Gotcha yah mangy…" Shirley cried out grabbing the reins to think that she won again. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, WWWWHHHOOOOAAAA!"

Far away enough, Grace began to use all her strength to twirl Shirley around and around to hoist her up in the air for one big kick with her back legs. So far it worked as everyone watched Shirley rolling on the dirt path until the woman landed hard on her stomach, groaning in pain. Soon Lucky Jack had hopped on top of her back with a long string of rope, tying it around her wrists and ankles so that she was soon hogtied in no less than a minute.

"Yeehaw!" He cried out in triumph.

"No, this ain't right!" Shirley hollered as the surprised and confused crowd listened closely in on her confession. "I was so close to havin' my own ranch to breed an entire herd o' golden cattle and be the richest cattle baroness in all o' Texas. I know this cause I knew I could never find any bovine as purty as a sunflower in this state, so I traveled all the way to Chugwater Town in the state o' Colorado once I found out about the yellowish color on one o' them so-called heroic cows. I had to use my singin' to distract the town so that the gang I hired to do my biddin' would snatch her away and bring her all the way back here. The fame, the glory, the fortune…I deserve it all! It all should have been mine!"

"Wrong there missy!" spoke a voice from within the crowd. Out stepped Sheriff Frank Hudson of Sun Valley Town and Sheriff Sam Brown from Chugwater Town.

"What in the blazes!" Shirley gasped, struggling in her bonds. "How'd ya'll know where to find me?" Her pulse quickened to find out that she had been discovered.

"Aw come on, did yah honestly think any o' my men could give up that easily?" Sheriff Hudson retorted. "I didn't believe Sheriff Brown here at first when he told me the story o' three heroic cows that saved the day by fightin' off a cattle rustler from where he lives. He even told me the whole story o' how you resisted arrest and escaped to a place called…Coal Mine Canyon!" He furrowed his brow.

"I have no idea what you're talkin' bout sheriff," Shirley denied.

"Not even what's written on this tiny piece o' paper," Hudson unfolded and held up the paper revealing the information of Shirley's plans written down on ink. It was the same old paper that Rusty found in her notebook.

Staring into it, Shirley's face turned pale, not knowing how that note could have gotten loose. Had she not checked it before to make sure that no outsider was meddling in her plans?

"That could be anyone's handwritin' sheriff!" Shirley denied again.

"Oh really," Hudson smirked. "Not after what you just blurted out o' your mouth moments ago? We heard the whole thing." He started walking toward Shirley with his own lasso, then paused in front of her. "Oh I almost forgot, I'll be takin' this from yah."

"What…" Shirley watched the sheriff suddenly take the key from her neck and hand it over to Sheriff Brown. "Wait no, she's mine."

"Sorry Miss Shirley," Sheriff Brown corrected. "She belongs to Pearl back on Patch of Heaven. It ain't right takin' what don't belong to you." He turned around to walk over to the cows.

"Shirley Stoneheart, you're under arrest!" Frank Hudson finished. All the other lawmen of the town helped him out in tying her up more and getting her inside a prison wagon that would take her to jail. Then they went to check on Scar Face Sam, Carl, and Tom to do the same. Sheriff Hudson and his men would later check out Coal Mine Canyon for investigating and see if other outlaws there needed to be arrested.

"It's alright now, you're free," Sheriff Brown said kindly to Grace as he leaned down to unlock her shackles. By the first click, they slipped off.

Grace thought she was going to cry tears of joy, knowing that this time she was finally free of Shirley for good.

**AN**: _Here's another update. The story is nearly complete, but I won't be able to upload until after I get back my trip next Thursday. Well Grace finally got her freedom back, now we wait for the last two chapters to come soon._


	29. Goodbye to Texas

**Chapter 29: Goodbye to Texas**

"Get her outta here boys!" Sheriff Hudson ordered two Texas rangers after they threw Shirley into the jail wagon with Scar Face Sam, Carl, and Tom. "Don't fret ma'am, I think you'd look mighty sweet in stripes." Then the doors closed.

Maggie, Grace, Mrs. C, Buck, and the rest of the Patch of Heaven gang watched as the jail wagon rode past the townsfolk and out of Dust Grove, heading straight back to Sun Valley Town. Another prison wagon had already left minutes ago with four other Texas rangers on their way to Coal Mine Canyon. As for the reward money in capturing Shirley, it was handed over to Sheriff Brown since he not only knew the girls more than anyone did, but it was Hudson's way of thanking him and the others for the amount of details and evidence Brown managed to gather back in Chugwater and being a good help since his arrival in Sun Valley Town. But it was also for not believing him the first time about the story of Pearl's girls. The reward money might even make up for some of the amount that Shirley stole when she conned the town with her singing and dancing performance. The folks back in Chugwater would be grateful.

"Well girls, it looks like Shirley's gonna be put away for a long time," Maggie spoke proudly.

"Aw yes, I couldn't agree more," Mrs. C assented. "But that's what happens to those who dare lay a finger on our family like that, right Grace."

"Absolutely," Grace answered happily. "I said it before and I'll say it again, nobody messes with Pearl's girls."

"But what about you Junior?" Mrs. C turned to the buffalo next to her. "However did you know where we were?"

"Yeah Junior, what's the story?" Maggie asked curiously.

Junior blushed when asked the question. "Well…it started three days ago when I was on my way over to your farm to visit a certain someone I know." The girls knew he was talking about Mrs. Calloway. "But when the cranky goat told me you was missin' cause o' some bandits kidnappin' your friend, I vowed to find ya'll myself if I had to. So I…"

"Alright girls, come along now," Sheriff Brown interrupted. "It's time to head on back to Chugwater, so say goodbye to Texas."

"Come on Junior, you can tell us all about it on the train," Mrs. C assured him.

Grace followed her friends until she stopped and remembered something. "Wait a minute girls, I forgot about something. I'll be right back."

"Huh?" Mrs. Calloway turned around to find Grace heading back to Dust Grove Town for who knows what. "Wait Grace, where are you going?"

But Grace was already moving inside the crowd. The working mules had now been standing by the sheriff's office as the lawmen were gathering them up, wondering what to do with them. Chuck held the same prize money and gold ribbon that Lucky Jack had snatched away from Shirley. When Grace finally found the mules, she had guessed that the rabbit must have handed it over to him so that Maggie and Mrs. C would be able to save Grace while Shirley was distracted. Making her way through, Grace moved up to them.

"Hey there boys," she surprised them. "I just wanted to thank you for helping my friends come to rescue me."

"Oh you're most welcome missy," Jake said politely. "Sorry if we weren't much of a help to you shortly after your arrival. We just didn't want you getting in trouble if you tried rebellin'."

"Oh that's alright," Grace replied gently. "What happened before wasn't your fault. I was just desperate to get back home somehow in any way I can. But what will happen to you boys now that you're free?"

"Who knows," Marcus shrugged his shoulders. "But don't worry bout us Grace. Whatever happens to us, and wherever we go, we'll be alright as long as we ain't prisoners no more."

"I understand," Grace admitted, feeling a little sad that she would be leaving them soon, wishing she could have gotten to know these boys a little longer. "I'll be leaving back for home shortly so…goodbye boys. Wish I could have gotten to know you a lot better."

"You got a family waiting for you back over there," Marcus insisted. "Your friends traveled all this way to rescue you, so you should be happy for that. Besides, we'll be alright as I just mentioned. We belong here in Texas. So we'll never forget you. And by the way, that was mighty extraordinary the way you n' your friends stood up to Shirley and the gang. We're proud o' you."

Grace nodded, feeling a little better and confident. "You're right, thanks. Oh and Chuck, may I see that thing in your mouth?"

Chuck handed the items over to her without questioning and watched her walk over to the same judge by the tent, nudging him in the hips.

"Oh howdy there," he said. "What's this?" Grace moved her head forward showing him the money and the ribbon as he took them from her.

"I think she wants to give it back sir," the other bronze haired judge whispered to him. "It looks like Shirley's not her real owner after all."

"I suppose not," the judge acquiesced, patting Grace on the head. "Well girl, if this is what yah want; we might as well start the competition all over again. Hopefully no one's an outlaw in disguise."

The men walked back into the tent for other personal matters involving the competition and restarting where they all left off.

"Grace, there you are!" Mrs. Calloway called out to Grace as she ran over to her. "Come on, we're going home. We wouldn't want to lose you again now would we?"

"Don't worry Mrs. C, I'm finished here," Grace insisted, following Mrs. C out of town once more. "I was just saying goodbye to the boys. They wanted me to thank you for helping them."

"But why did you return the ribbon Grace?" Mrs. C asked.

"Cause I'd rather win my ribbons the honest way," Grace admitted. "Shirley was doing it all wrong that's for sure."

Mrs. C couldn't argue with that, feeling that Grace was right. Despite her tone deafness, Grace was not the type of gal who would cheat her way through life by not being true to herself. Of course, she knew it was Shirley who would have done that, using Grace to get her way. On the way back to the train station, the girls chuckled a little when Buck boasted that he almost had Fire Bolt down on the ground, but barely had enough time to discover his weak spot before Mrs. C intervened.

"I would've taken care o' him, really I would," Buck maintained. "If it weren't for his fast unexpected moves, I would have had time to find his weak spot."

"Whatever you say Buck," Maggie laughed.

"No, no, really I almost had him," Buck debated. "You should have seen how I handled it all. He was tough, but I was tougher."

Grace could only smile and laugh, knowing she hadn't forgotten the old Buck. She admitted to herself that she missed listening to him throughout her days of imprisonment just as much as she missed her family back home. Grace walked all the way up to the stock cars where she and the others would be staying in on the train. She sighed contently as she glanced over her shoulder to glare at the view of the fair and the landscapes of Texas. What more could Grace say? Shirley and the Yeller Gang were finally caught, and she had her freedom back. She owed it all to her friends who never gave up searching for her. But she also owed it to the mules for helping them get here. Although Grace felt a little ashamed of herself for being close to giving up hope, she was free and that was all that mattered.

"Oh, could someone please get this thing off my face?" Grace pointed to her halter. "I almost forgot...and this collar too."

Lucky Jack hopped behind her to remove the halter and collar before throwing it out on the dusty road.

* * *

_On the train_

While riding the train back to Chugwater, a relieved Grace listened to Junior explain how Jeb told him how her friends went out again into the unknown somewhere in Texas to rescue her, encouraging him to travel here himself and to come meet this Shirley gal so that he'd make sure she never dare harm the girls in any way. But most of all, he had been secretly doing most of it for Mrs. Calloway, but didn't want to admit it in front of everyone. Only Mrs. C could see through the reason behind his shy eyes. She hadn't expected the huge buffalo to come all this way for her, but he did. Junior seemed so brave standing behind Shirley like that before the woman had a chance to take Grace away from them again. Mrs. C blushed, trying to hide her face from everyone. But Maggie had already seen this, yet kept her silent snickering and teasing to herself, not wanting to upset her in any way.

"So Grace, how did it feel to be far from home while you were gone?" Maggie asked, hoping to change the subject. "I mean…did you miss us already?"

"Uh now Maggie…" Mrs. Calloway hesitated for a moment, worried that the question might hurt Grace inside.

"It's ok Mrs. C," Grace assured without sounding sad. "I don't mind telling about it." She cleared her throat. "When those outlaws kidnapped me, I was scared…not only for myself, but for you guys, fearing that they might've gotten to you. I thought about fighting back many times, but their weapons and ropes kept me tied down. Being blindfolded the whole time, I couldn't even recall which road they took to be honest. So how would I try to escape if I didn't know where to go? Plus I was too scared to fight back against them by myself." Nobody could blame her for that. "But can you believe it girls? Shirley wanted to breed an entire herd of golden cattle outta me. Am I really the only blond bovine on this earth?"

"I sincerely doubt that Grace," Mrs. Calloway replied. "But even if you were, Patch of Heaven is where you belong…nowhere else."

Grace smiled at that. At this time, Pearl and the other barn animals would soon be happy to see her again and welcome her home with open arms. Although the Patch of Heaven gang didn't see what was happening, the train they rode on moved passed miles away from Coal Mine Canyon where the Texas rangers arrested Gene, Hickory, and Mitch.

**AN**: _One more chapter to go and then I'm done. By the way, this story was inspired back in the summer of 2005 the time when I first watched Home on the Range the day before I left for San Antonio, Texas for a week-long trip. From that moment on, I decided to make it a tradition to watch the movie every time before I leave to see my family down there. Yet sometimes I feel sad when I leave that place, but then again, I can always go back whenever possible. I hope you readers have enjoyed this story, even though it is not over yet. After this, I may try to finish up my Halloween sequel and then look through my list of upcoming stories to decide which one I should do next. Which one will it be? It might be better if I surprise you._


	30. Home at Last

**Chapter 30: Home at Last**

While the train went on riding for its nonstop destination to Chugwater, Colorado, the bully horses once belonging to the Yeller Gang had been sold by the lawmen to a farmer who would later put them to work out in the fields. The donkeys on the other hand had been taken in by different ranch owners who would give them the proper nutrients and care they needed to recover from their days as overworked slaves. The charges against Shirley, Mitch, and the Yeller Gang were unauthorized digging in an abandoned mine, bank robbery, kidnapping, and identity fraud. Their sentence would possibly be more than ten years in jail, depending on how serious these charges were to be taken by the court. The law would even make sure that the outlaws would have no chance of escape, ever. How they were able to find Coal Mine Canyon was all let out by Shirley after the rangers forced her to spit out the details of its location before they had thrown her into the jail wagon back in Dust Grove Town. Later on, a telegraph message had been sent to Hudson stating that Shirley's two sisters were returning and moving back in to their uncle's ranch since no one else was living in it. The two women would be able to start a good business with ranch work just like their uncle. Although they might have been Shirley's older sisters, they were never as manipulative or cunning as she was.

Grace used this time to express herself a bit further now that she had already been rescued. The sweet heifer even cried a little when she talked about the events happening with the Yeller Gang leading her through the middle of nowhere, giving her the fearful feeling that she would never see her family again, even after giving in to a number of their threats. There was not much she could do about it, but to obey reluctantly. Because the chances of escape from the mines were slim, Grace believed that her only hope out of it was a rescue since most of her ideas and attempts had failed. Her experience of being locked down in the wine cellar proved that.

"Oh Grace, I'm sure that deep down you always believed that we would come to your rescue," Mrs. Calloway said offhandedly, knowing that she herself could have given that Mitch thug a taste of her hoof. "All those times we had been risking our necks out in the wilderness to find you, we never gave up trying."

Grace still couldn't believe that this nightmare of her captivity was finally over. "Does that mean you guys would have kept on going, even if it took weeks or months…just for me?"

"Of course Grace," Mrs. C answered. "I'm not sure about going on for years, but you're here now."

"I don't know how else to thank you guys," Grace said. "But I must say that I'm lucky to have you all as my friends."

She threw herself over to Maggie and Mrs. C, never before truly realizing that they would have made it miles away out of state to save her from Shirley. It proved that her friends cared this much for her enough to do whatever it took, despite all the obstacles. They had been through it before when capturing Slim and they were willing to do it again. Grace stayed next to her friends for the longest time.

"I missed you girls," Grace cried. Her voice grew hoarse and she sniffled a little in Maggie's front legs.

"Hey now, what's with the tears?" Maggie asked, pulling back to have a look at Grace. "We're going home now. We don't want anyone seeing you like this when we get back now do we?"

"No…I guess not," Grace smiled a little, wiping her eyes. "But I know they'll be asking all sorts of questions about this adventure." Her tears dried up in a matter of minutes, feeling all better.

* * *

_Patch of Heaven_

Meanwhile on the Patch of Heaven farm, all of the animals were eating their meals downheartedly, wondering where the girls were at this time. It had been this way ever since the abduction of Grace two and a half weeks ago. For them it felt like two and a half years since they had last seen that sweet gal and her peace loving personality. Life here was now lonely and quiet without her and the other two. It had been a real shock to them at first to learn that the new singer was involved in the kidnapping and taken Grace further away out of state, thinking that finding her would have been impossible. During their absence, all they could do was stay here and keep Pearl company.

Pearl on the other hand had been taking it the hardest. She sat on her bed quietly inside the house, staring down at the same bell that Grace wore before the abduction, dropped by the bandits. Deep down she wanted to go over to Texas and find Grace herself, but didn't want to leave the other animals on the farm unprotected. Plus this was the job for the lawmen to handle; hopefully they were able to accomplish something. She hated the idea of staying here doing nothing while the other two girls were out there missing again, possibly on a search to find their missing friend. But what other choice did she have? Staring at the photos of Grace made her heart ache more, worried and scared for her life. But every day, Pearl would often tell herself that she couldn't just give up on the hope of Grace ever being found again. Yet this was longer than the three days of when her farm was almost put up for auction. And Pearl didn't know how much longer she could take this absence. At this rate, she'd do anything just to see or hear Grace again in the barn. She could not stop herself from thinking about anything else other than the girls. The emptiness was like a wound that went on for a number of years and was turning into a memory.

While Pearl had still been examining the bell in her hands, she thought that she could hear the sound of Sam Brown's voice outside, mixed with the noises of the barn animals. Sitting up from the bed, she went out to see what all the excitement was about. Looking toward the farm entrance, Pearl was astounded to see all of the animals happily rushing over to Maggie, Mrs. C, Buck, Rusty, Lucky Jack, Junior, and of course…Grace! Pearl thought for a moment that she was only seeing what she wished to see. But the sweet heifer was there for real.

"Grace!" she cried, rushing over to throw her arms around Grace in a gentle embrace. "Where've you been this whole time?"

"Long story there Pearl," Sheriff Brown said. "But why don't I discuss the whole thing over dinner tonight."

"Good idea Sam," Pearl agreed. "I can't believe you found her alive n' safe."

"Oh don't thank me Pearl," Sam said, pointing to the other two girls and his horse. "Thank them. I didn't expect'em to come along for the ride in catchin' that Shirley gal, but they did. Not only did I find Shirley unexpectedly in another town, but you shoulda seen how your girls handled her."

"Really?" Pearl couldn't keep her arms off Grace. "So that's what happened."

The next thing Grace knew, the animals had started to jump and gather around her in excitement, prepared to ask her questions of what happened down in the state of Texas.

* * *

It was dark by the time all the barn animals gathered inside the cows den ready to listen to the story of the abduction and rescue. After a good deal of debate and discussion, the cows decided it was time to let out everything to them right away if they ever wanted to get some sleep. Maggie did all the talking as she began to explain the part where the train dropped them off at the right spot, but had to travel through the same wilderness area where the Yeller Gang moved through with Grace. Without Rusty's scent, they would have lost their way. The cows thanked him earlier for coming along for the ride. The whole family grew distressed at the mention of the dangers that Grace had been in, but was calmed again when the girls got to the story of being reunited in Dust Grove Town during a fair.

"I don't know about the rest of you guys," Grace said happily, moving comfortably in her bed. "But I just wanna get some sleep now…in my real bed tonight." She yawned and stretched out before closing her eyes.

"Alright, out with you all," Mrs. Calloway shooed the animals out, back to their own pens. "Grace here needs her rest now so let's not wake her with anymore questions until tomorrow morning."

Maggie laughed as she watched them leave. "It feels good to be home again, right Mrs. C?" she teased.

"It sure does Maggie," Mrs. C replied gladly. "There's no better place like home."

Then the two cows went right to sleep without another word. Grace opened one eye, watching her friends drift off. She smiled as she thought of her other old friends from the time when she was a calf. Even though she missed them sometimes, Grace always remembered that she had a family here now who loved her and needed her. If her old friends ever saw how she handled Shirley, they'd be proud of her.

* * *

_One week later_

Grace was standing with Maggie and Mrs. Calloway eating a pile of hay in the trough and looked at them with a mixture of delight and disbelief. Her scars had healed and her bruised eye was gone. A week had passed since her return to Patch of Heaven, yet for some reason she still couldn't believe that she was back home again. "By the way, there's something else I forgot to ask you girls," Grace said warmly, looking at her two closest friends. "How did you all find your way over to the fair grounds in Dust Grove Town?"

"Didn't we already talk about everything Grace?" Mrs. C asked firmly. "I thought we were done with all this adventure discussion."

"Just my last one Mrs. C," Grace shrugged.

Piece by piece, Maggie and Mrs. C recounted the events that happened over at Coal Mine Canyon, rescuing the donkeys and forcing the two bully horses to spit out the location of Dust Grove Town. "The mules helped us get there by pulling a dozen wagons," Maggie recalled. "They told us that they were reluctant to help you escape all because of the entrances being guarded, but it was nice to know that they changed their minds in the end."

"Still don't believe everything Grace?" Mrs. C tested. "Do finish your meal now before it's all gone."

"Yes Mrs. C," Grace turned, a smile on her face, and continued eating as if nothing peculiar had happened before.

Then everyone on the farm heard hoof beats galloping toward the farm. It was Sam Brown riding on Buck, holding something in his hand. When he stopped in front of Pearl's house, he showed her that it was not a bank notice, but a newspaper article all the way from Texas sent this morning to him by Sheriff Frank Hudson and a note attached to it. Pearl unfolded it and read:

_Dear Pearl Gesner,_

_I know we ain't ever met, but me and my boys down here in Texas are rather grateful and astounded by what we saw in the town o' Dust Grove where Shirley Stoneheart had been participatin' in a contest with one o' your stolen cows. I didn't believe your friend Sam at first bout the story he told me. But I was wrong. Your cows are true heroes ma'am. If not for them, Miss Shirley would not be behind bars as I write this note to you. She and the rest o' the Yeller Gang are now servin' a long sentence. This newspaper article is my way o' sayin' thanks to your girls. Wish there was somethin' else I could do to show my gratitude, but perhaps its best if I leave you alone for now and let your girls recover from all the trouble that's happened. Tell Sheriff Brown I said howdy._

_Sheriff Frank Hudson of Sun Valley Town_

"Well whatta yah know," Pearl said gladly, unfolding the newspaper. "Looks like we got a lot to celebrate here." Opening it, the _Sun Valley Times_ article showed a photo of the girls and their friends standing a few inches from the prison wagon which kept Shirley and three of the gang members locked in. The other pictures inside the newspaper had been taken by several other photographers.

From that day on, there really was a lot to celebrate. First there was the return of Grace safe and unharmed, and the reunion of the entire family who risked their lives to save her from a terrible woman. There was a lot to be thankful for. A cry of joy went up all around the farm as Pearl showed everyone the newspaper article. All that happiness and cheer that had been lost during the absence of Grace and the others was suddenly returning as though the sunshine were brighter, warmer, and the sky a deeper blue. This happy moment allowed Grace to forget about her troubled past and leave it behind for good. Even that was not going to ruin her mood today. The outlaws were already taken care of; she had been rescued and brought home again. That was the most important thing. There might as well be other further adventures and new enemies for them to face in the future possibly. Yet when that happens, the girls would be ready for it. But for now, they were home.

**The End**

**AN**: _That's the end of this story. Three years of working on this were really worth it. It almost makes the reader feel as if Grace was imprisoned for three years, but that's only how long the story took to finish. Sure it might be a little sad when a good story ends, but they all have to end sometime sooner or later. Better late than never as they always say. Sorry if some paragraphs here felt a bit rushed, but I just didn't wanna bore readers with too much talking in between characters. I do hope I did a good job on the ending here since it was all I could think of. Right now I'm going to try finishing up my other Halloween story that I also should have finished long ago since October is now two months away. But I'll do that this weekend since I am now going back to working on my animated projects. But there will always be plenty of time for story writing and stuff. All characters in this story, except for my own characters, are property of the Walt Disney Company. I don't own any of them, although sometimes I wish I did. But that will never happen. Hope you readers still enjoyed this story. Which story will I upload next? That will be a surprise. Oh I forgot to mention that I would like to thank the users who read and left good reviews; especially Madagascarqueen and Kino Lala. If any user was ever interested in borrowing one of my fanfiction characters, ask my permission first. Just a quick reminder._


End file.
